Pumpkin Week: Pumpkin Gingerbread

Hi Kids!  I'm back, and I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving like I did.  I was talking to my coworker today and said it was the best turkey dinner I had ever had.  She said it was the same case with her.  I wonder why that is... did they feed the turkeys something different this year?  I don't know, but everything was AMAZING.

Friday and Saturday me and my family (but mostly my family) worked our tails off to throw a 30th anniversary party for my parents.  Everything turned out well, and it was a great party.

Now...back to Pumpkin Week.  You know... that thing I started two weeks ago?  SOMEDAY I will finish this bugger up.  Here's the latest (and maybe my favorite) installment.

Pumpkin Gingerbread is wonderful, and amazing, and cozy, and delicious, and really pretty easy to make.  But it seems impressive.  But its easy.

Here's what you need: pumpkin, an egg, spices, pecans, flour, sugar, buttermilk.

Mix some flour and sugar, then add your chilled butter.

Cut in the butter.

Mix in the nuts.  I just use the pastry knife to stir it around.  Then press some of it into a square cake pan.  The rest of it is going to turn into your batter!  One bowl... awesome!

Here's a handy kitchen tip I learned from Paula Deen.  When you are going to measure out something sticky and  syrupy, spray your measuring cup or spoon with cooking spray.

Measure out the molasses.

Add it to the remaining dry ingredients, egg, and buttermilk.

See how it just slides out of there?  If I hadn't sprayed the cup it would be coated all the way around with molasses at this point.

Mix it all together.  Now you have a crust and a cake batter.  I think you know what to do now... top the crust with the  batter.

Then bake it until it's beautiful.

This smells so good right now.

Kitchen Tip #2: Cut cakes and brownies with a plastice knife.  It won't get all crumbly that way.

One for me and one for Tim.

Top with homemade caramel sauce (recipe below).  Delicious served warm with ice cream!

PUMPKIN GINGERBREAD
2 1/4 c flour
1/2 c sugar
2/3 c margarine
3/4 c chopped pecans
1 1/4 tsp ginger
1/2 c light molasses
1/2 c pumpkin
1 egg
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cloves
3/4 c buttermilk

In bowl combine flour and sugar.  Cut in 2/3 c butter until crumbly.  Stir in pecans.  Press 1 1/4 cup of mixture into 9" greased pan.  Add remaining ingredients into mix and pour over base.  Bake 40-50 minutes at 350.

CARAMEL SAUCE
Melt together:
1/2 c butter
1 1/4 c brown sugar
2 Tbsp light corn syrup
Stir in 1/2 c whipping cream.

Serve warm over gingerbread with ice cream or whipped cream.