The temperatures have finally dropped enough to give me that “autumn” feeling. It’s still a little steamy midday, but the mornings and evenings are quite pleasant, which puts me in the mood to bake! This Spiced Pecan Pumpkin Pound Cake is an adaptation of my mother’s infamous pound cake recipe. My mother is a wonderful baker and everyone looks forward to her treats at family gatherings. She is also a 14 year breast cancer survivor! Since this is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I’m dedicating this post to my mother, whose baking I can only hope to live up to!
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The Ingredients
Most of the ingredients are pretty easy to find at the local super market. The spice blend I used, garam masala, may or may not be in the spice aisle. It’s a blend of coriander, black pepper, cumin, cardamom, and cinnamon that’s usually used in traditional Indian cooking. It’s also a great way to add a spicy kick to sweets! You can use pumpkin pie spice if you prefer, but I think the garam masala gives this cake extra punch. I cut my mother’s original recipe in half, so I could have a smaller cake!
I used a standard bundt cake pan for this because of the depth. Go ahead and pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees and oil & flour your cake pan . This is how my mother did it when I was younger, except she used Crisco. She discovered a spray called Baker’s Joy and has never looked back! I like the more hands on approach and the coconut oil doubles as a hand moisturizer.
Separate the eggs and be sure to keep the yolks! I got this egg separator at a Pampered Chef party many years ago. (The link is for a similar one.)
I like to combine the wet ingredients and dry ingredients in separate bowls so they are easier to add to the mixer. So, combine the flour, pudding mix, and garam masala in one bowl and the egg yolks, pumpkin puree, yogurt, and vanilla in another bowl.
Mixing Up the Batter
Add egg whites to mixer and whip them until soft peaks form and set aside. It is very important that only the egg whites are in the mixer or they won’t get fluffy!
Add the unsalted butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar, and white sugar to mixer.
Beat until creamy or well combined.
Add 1/2 the wet mixture and 1/2 the dry mixture to the mixing bowl. Keep adding each back and forth until everything is well combined. It will be pretty thick at this point. Keeping the mixer on at about medium speed, slowly add the milk. Add it a little at a time until the mixture is thick but smooth. The first picture is before the milk was added and the second is just right! I used coconut milk, but regular milk works too.
Just right!
Pecan Mixture
Chop the pecan halves into little bits. You can use a food processor, but that’s no fun!
Combine the pecans, 1 tbsp brown sugar, 1/2 tsp garam masala, and the melted salted butter.
Combining it All
Add the whipped egg whites to the batter and gently fold them together. No fast mixing here, you don’t want to loose the fluffy!
Put half of the batter into the bundt cake pan.
Top with half of the pecan mixture, then repeat with the remaining batter and pecan mixture.
Put it in the oven for about 30-45 minutes. When you can insert a toothpick and it comes out clean, it’s done! Your house is gonna smell amazing!
Hey, where’s the missing piece?
It’s going in my belly!
Yum!
The only thing that would make this better (besides a cup of coffee) is a cream cheese glaze! Unfortunately, I have no cream cheese at the moment, but that’s just a reason to make another one – soon! Don’t worry Mom, I saved some for you (and Dad)!
Pin it for later!
Spiced Pecan Pumpkin Pound Cake
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 c self-rising flour
- 3/4 c white sugar
- 1/2 c brown sugar
- 2 tsp garam marsala
- 3 eggs, separated (keep yolks)
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 oz greek yogurt
- 1 stick (1/2 c) unsalted butter
- 3.4 oz box pumpkin spice pudding mix
- 1/2 c milk (only as necessary)
- coconut oil & flour (or non-stick spray)
Pecan Mix
- 1/2 stick (1/4 c) salted butter, melted
- 1/2 tsp garam marsala
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 1/2 c whole pecans finely chopped (or 1 c finely chopped pecans)
Instructions
- Coat pan with coconut oil & flour and set aside. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees (F).
- Combine flour, pudding mix, & 2 tsp garam marsala in a bowl and set aside.
- Combine yogurt, pumpkin puree, vanilla, & egg yolks in a bowl and set aside.
- Combine pecans, melted salted butter, 1 tbsp brown sugar, & 1/2 tsp. garam marsala in a bowl and set aside.
- Whip egg whites until they form soft peaks and set aside.
- Beat unsalted butter and both sugars until creamy.
- Add 1/2 flour mixture and 1/2 pumpkin mixture at a time to the bowl and mix until well blended.
- With mixer on medium, stream in milk a little at a time until the right consistency is reached. The batter will be thick, but smooth and all of the milk may not be needed.
- Add the beaten egg whites to cake batter and gently fold in until fully incorporated.
- Add 1/2 the batter to the bundt cake pan then top with 1/2 the pecan mixture. Add the remaining batter, then the remaining pecan mixture.
- Put it in the oven for 30-45 minutes on the center rack. It's done when a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
