Pumpkin Cake with Molasses Cream (Paleo, Gluten-free)

Ingredients (serves 12):

For the pumpkin bread:

1 and 1/4 cup coconut flour, sifted
2/3 cup coconut sugar, granulated maple sugar, or brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 and 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
Pinch of fresh ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
15 ounces (1 and 1/2 cups) pumpkin
1/4 cup butter, melted
4 eggs
3/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted if desired* (optional)

For the molasses cream:

1/3 cup creme fraiche (or cream from a can of chilled coconut milk)
1 tablespoon molasses**
1 tablespoon honey**
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch of salt

*To toast pecans, heat a dry skillet over medium.  Add the pecans and cook, stirring occasionally, until darker brown and fragrant, 3-5 minutes.

**A tip for molasses and honey:  Grease the measuring cup or spoon with some coconut oil first.  You won’t lose all the molasses that usually sticks to the spoon!

To make the cake, preheat the oven to 375.  Grease a bundt pan very well, and dust with coconut flour, tapioca starch, or coconut sugar (I used coconut flour and you can see it on the finished cake, so I might try sugar next time for a more uniform color).  Alternatively, you can bake this in a loaf pan lined with parchment, and won’t have to worry about greasing at all.

In a small bowl, whisk together the coconut flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and spices.  In a large bowl, whisk together the vanilla, pumpkin, and melted butter, beating well to smooth out any lumps of pumpkin.  Add the eggs are beat again. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until combined, then fold in the pecans. Spoon the batter into the bundt pan and spread it out evenly.

Bake for about 35 minutes, or until set and a toothpick comes out almost or totally clean.  Cool for a few minutes in the pan, then invert on to a rack.  I recommend steaming the cake to make sure it doesn’t stick to the pan when you turn it out–you can read about how to do that here.  Mine still stuck a tiny bit, but the molasses cream works wonders for covering up patchy areas.

To make the molasses cream, stir all the ingredients together in a small bowl.  Refrigerate until ready to use.  I poured about half the glaze on the cake while it was still warm, then drizzled on the rest once the cake was cool.  I recommend glazing the cake at least once right before you serve it, because the molasses cream soaks in after a while and doesn’t look as pretty.