Gingerbread Cake/Bread

Serious question: why don't you get a spring break (or Christmas break for that matter) once you have a career/full time job?  I honestly feel like you need it more than when you're in college!  C is enjoying this last spring break this week, before he graduates in May.  I must say, work seems a little harder when you can just imagine all the lucky people laying on the beach drinking a margarita.  

Now that I got all of that out -- let me get to the main attraction.  Technically I guess this is a cake, but it's in close relations to bread.  It's diverse, it can be a breakfast food, or a dessert.  Win, win.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Butter a flour a loaf pan, or a muffin pan.  In a large bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, all spice, cinnamon, cloves and salt together.  In a separate bowl beat sugar and butter until light and fluffy.

Whisk in the pumpkin puree until smooth.

Then whisk in the molasses, eggs and buttermilk.  

Add the pumpkin mixture to the flour mixture in 3 additions, stirring to combine.

Pour into the prepared loaf pan or muffin tin.  Bake until set and puffed, around 1 hour for loaf or 35 minutes for muffin tin. Let cool completely on wire racks.

For the frosting, whisk together powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons of water.  

Spoon over muffins or loaf and let glaze set, about 15 minutes before serving.  

This is very tasty cake-bread.  It's spicy and kind of tastes like pumpkin pie.  I really enjoyed a thin slice of the bread as dessert, and also might have had a taste the next morning for breakfast.  The awesome thing about this it's only 185 calories a slice!  You're welcome :)

PS If anyone works for a company that provides a spring break, please fill the rest of us suckers in.  Thanks!

Gingerbread Cake/Bread

Serves 18

Adapted from Everyday Food

1/2 stick unsalted butter, room temperature

2 1/3 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoons allspice

1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup sugar

1 cup pure pumpkin puree

1/2 cup unsulfured molasses

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 cup powdered sugar, sifted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

Butter and flour a 5x9 inch loaf pan or muffin tin.

In a large bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, allspice, cinnamon, cloves and salt.

In a separate bowl beat sugar and butter until light and fluffy.

Whisk in pumpkin puree until smooth.

Whisk in molasses, eggs and buttermilk.

Add to flour mixture in 3 additions, stirring well to combine.

Pour the mixture into prepared pan.  

Bake 35 minutes for a muffin tin, or an hour if loaf pan.  

Let cool completely on wire racks.

Whisk together the powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons of water.

Spoon over muffins or bread and let glaze set, about 15 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!