Pumpkin Bundt Cake -- Ma’s Halloween Week Tradition, Made My Own

Parent-teacher conference Thursday. Mrs. Keogh went through Liam's work folder. Reading above grade level. Math at grade level. Social-emotional: observant, quiet, thoughtful, a little cautious but warming up to a circle of three friends. She said he is a joy.

Then she said, I want to tell you, he mentioned his father once to me. He said, "my dad died and now my mom makes our pancakes." I asked him what kind of pancakes and he said blueberry buttermilk, with the first one burned for my dad. I almost cried.

I told her the pancake ritual. She teared up. She said your family is doing it right. I said we are trying.

Halloween is next week. Liam wants to be a firefighter (like Uncle Patrick). Nora wants to be a butterfly. Costumes acquired. I am going as a nurse, which I actually am, so I will wear scrubs and call it a costume. Cheap Halloween.

Group Tuesday — new cycle. Bernadette, same. Some returning, two new. I said briefly my piece. A new widow said my husband died six weeks ago. Nobody said anything. Bernadette said, you are in the worst part. We are with you. I remembered week 10 of widowhood myself. I said nothing either. There is nothing to say.

Clinic: busy week. 30 patient encounters. Nothing remarkable.

Saturday pancakes. Burned the first one. Liam wanted to help make them again — he is getting good at the measure. Nora wanted a sip of my coffee. I said no. She negotiated. I gave her a teaspoon with two drops of cream in it. She declared it delicious.

Sunday dinner at Southie. Ma made her Halloween week specialty — pumpkin pie from actual pumpkin (not canned). She roasts a sugar pumpkin, scoops it, purees, mixes. The kids loved it. Dad had two slices.

Food of the week: Ma's fresh pumpkin pie. With whipped cream. More cinnamon than the recipe calls for. Everything Ma does has more cinnamon than the recipe calls for.

Ma’s fresh pumpkin pie was the food of the week — no contest — and it got me thinking about how I might bring some of that same warmth into my own kitchen. I’m not quite at her level with a roasted sugar pumpkin and a from-scratch filling, but this pumpkin bundt cake gets me close: the same cozy spices, the same kind of “more cinnamon than the recipe calls for” energy she always brings, and something beautiful enough to put on the table at Sunday dinner. Liam and Nora would approve. Dad would ask for two slices.

Pumpkin Bundt Cake

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 55 min | Total Time: 1 hr 15 min | Servings: 12

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (or more — you know the rules)
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 can (15 oz) pure pumpkin puree (or 1 3/4 cups fresh-roasted sugar pumpkin, pureed)
• Powdered sugar or cream cheese glaze, for serving

Instructions

1. Preheat oven. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 10- or 12-cup bundt pan thoroughly, making sure to coat all the grooves.
2. Mix dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Set aside.
3. Mix wet ingredients. In a separate large bowl, whisk together granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vegetable oil until combined. Add eggs one at a time, whisking well after each. Stir in vanilla and pumpkin puree until smooth.
4. Combine. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and fold gently with a spatula until just combined — do not overmix.
5. Bake. Pour batter evenly into the prepared bundt pan. Bake for 50–55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
6. Cool. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then carefully invert onto the rack. Cool completely before glazing.
7. Serve. Dust with powdered sugar or drizzle with a simple cream cheese glaze. Serve with whipped cream and, yes, extra cinnamon on top.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 310 | Protein: 4g | Fat: 14g | Carbs: 44g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 280mg