Heirloom Pumpkin Cake

From my former MIL, Mrs. C

This is one of our most-requested favorites.  Addition of ginger is my own, and I include plenty of pumpkin pie spice till wonderfully fragrant.  Do not overcook.  Is best the next day, keep sealed in airtight container after fully cooled.  Enjoy!

Family Favorite Pumpkin Cake


3 cups sugar
2 sticks butter
2 cups cooked pumpkin (pulp well drained, or 1 Libby’s can of pumpkin)
3 cups plain flour
1 teaspoon vanilla (I use 2)
3 eggs
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (I use 1-2 Tablespoons, to taste)
1 scant teaspoon powdered ginger (optional)


Preheat oven to 325 degrees (300 if your oven runs hot). In large heavy bowl, cream butter and sugar; add eggs. Mixing with mixer, add other dry ingredients alternately with pumpkin. Add vanilla. Batter will be very thick. Butter and flour a Bundt pan, and pour in batter. Tap filled pan lightly on counter a couple times to settle any air pockets. Bake for @ 1 hour 25 minutes, or till straw inserted near center comes out clean. Be sure not to overbake. Allow to cool completely, then store in sealed plastic container or wrapped. Best after first day, if it lasts that long

:)  Watch it disappear!

Polish Apple (Szarlotka) Our Favorite Apple Cake

Tried this to serve at a get-together, and it got eaten down to the crumbs.  It's sweet but not icky sweet, so is really good with coffee.

It's definately a keeper!

I ran across the recipe on Alla's blog Cooking with Yiddishe Mama http://www.allastar.net/blog/archives/2006_11_01_archive.html, which is originally from Jewish Cooking by Marlena Spieler.

Here was the blog hook I couldn't resist:

"It's one of the best recipes. Always successful! You will stick with this recipe FOREVER!!!"

Yeah, well, it's really that good.


Here's the recipe. If I can make it, you can, too!


Polish Apple Cake (Szarlotka)



3 large apples, unpeeled, cored and sliced into thin slices (I used Fujis, DONT use regular red delicious)

1 t. ground cinnamon

1 c. sugar

4 lg. eggs

1 c. vegetable oil

1/2 c. orange juice (I squeezed up some fresh)

1 t. vanilla

3 c. all purpose flour

3 t. baking powder (fresh!)

1/2 t. salt



Grease 9x11 inch pan and dust with flour, shaking out excess.

Place apples in large bowl and mix with cinnamon and 2 tablespoons of the sugar.

In separate bowl, beat eggs and gradually add remaining sugar, oil, orange juice and vanilla.

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt.

Combine with egg mixture and mix until blended.

Pour 2/3 of the batter into prepared pan.

Layer with the apples.

Pour the rest of the dough over the top.

Bake at 350 degrees 45-50 minues until golden on top.

Let stand a few minutes and then unmold onto rack.

Cool completely.

Dust with powdered sugar if desired.  I don't bother.


I heeded the advice of Susan http://foodiefarmgirl.blogspot.com/ , and went and bought FRESH baking powder, since learning that this makes a big difference in the end product. Also, I followed the recipe exactly, which is something I rarely am disciplined enough to do. I cut my apple slices paper thin when preparing the ingredients, and those came out very well.


The cake is delicious, and if you can wait long enough for it to cool to sample it, you'll find it comes out with a slightly crisp top and cakey soft moistness beneath, with just the right sort of sweetness. I sliced the cake into squares, arranged the slices on a platter, and covered the whole thing tightly with foil overnight. The next day, they were moister and there was no longer a crispness to the top.


This one's going into the permanent file, for sure.