Pumpkin Gingerbread with Almond Spiced Whipped Cream

For our "pre-thanksgiving" dinner, I decided to skip the pumpkin pie (partly because I had just made one last week) and made a festive gingerbread instead. The whipped cream came from Rachel Ray. I used it for the pumpkin pie last week and fell in love! It's so simple and so delicious! Once again, a MUST for Thanksgiving this year!

The gingerbread had great flavor but seemed a little dry to me, so I reduced the time in the oven by 5-10 minutes depending on your oven. I cooked it for 45 mins and I think 40 or less would have been sufficient. I suggest you test it after 35 minutes and go from there.

Pumpkin Gingerbread
Recipe by www.streaminggourmet.com

1 Tbsp cider vinegar
3/4 cup milk
2 1/3 cups flour
2 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/3 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup canned pumpkin purée
1/2 cup dark molasses

1. In a small bowl, blend the cider vinegar and the milk and set aside. It will curdle. That’s the point.

2. Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Spray an 8″x8″x2″ pan with cooking spray.

3. In a medium bowl, mix all of the dry ingredients and spices. Use a whisk to blend them thoroughly and to break up any lumps. Sifting would achieve the same result, but using a whisk is easier.

4. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, cream the butter. Continue mixing while gradually adding the sugar until the two are creamed together and fluffy. Add the egg and beat well. Add the pumpkin and mix thoroughly. Add the molasses and blend.

5. Alternating between dry ingredients and curdled milk, in three batches, mix each into the wet ingredients. Mix the ingredients as little as possible.

6. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 40-45 minutes. Serve Warm and top with almond spiced whipped cream (recipe below)


Almond Spiced Whipped Cream
Recipe adapted from Rachel Ray

1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 shot almond liqueur or 1 teaspoon almond extract
Grated nutmeg, to taste
2 pinches ground cinnamon
3 Tb. powdered sugar

Whisk cream until soft peaks form, a couple of minutes. Whisk in almond liqueur or extract, powdered sugar and season with nutmeg and cinnamon, to taste.