Pumpkin Gingerbread Loaf

Ingredients

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons powdered ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon dry powdered mustard
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/3 cup strong prepared black coffee
1 cup mashed cooked pumpkin
2 cups pecans, chopped

 

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease a large (7 cup capacity) 9"x5"x3" loaf pan.  Sift together the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves and mustard and set aside. 

In a large bowl, cream the butter.  Add the sugar and eggs.  Beat to mix.  On low speed, add half of the dry ingredients, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula.  Beat only until barely incorporated.  Mix in the coffee.  Add the remaining dry ingredients and beat only until incorporated.  Add the pumpkin, scraping the bowl as necessary, beat only until incorporated.  Stir in the pecans. 

Turn into the prepared pan and smooth the top.  Then, with the back of a spoon, form a trench down the middle, 1/2 to 1 inch deep.  The trench will prevent the middle from rising too high, although it will rise some and form a crack down the length of the cake (it is supposed to). 

Bake for 1 hour and 10 to 15 minutes, until the top feels slightly firm to the touch and a cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Cool the cake in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes.  Turn the loaf out the pan and let cool on a wire rack. 

Makes 1 large loaf.