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A fork breaks into a slice of pumpkin gingerbread on a plate.
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5 from 1 vote

Pumpkin Gingerbread with Maple Pecan Icing

This Pumpkin Gingerbread is loaded with molasses, ginger, and cinnamon and is topped with a Maple Pecan Icing. All the flavors of the holidays in one delicious dessert!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Resting Time15 minutes
Total Time1 hour 10 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 12
Calories: 374kcal

Ingredients

For the Pumpkin Gingerbread

  • 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup butter softened
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • ¾ cup molasses I use Grandma's Original Unsulphured
  • 1 cup pumpkin purée not pie filling
  • 1 cup boiling water

For the Maple Pecan Icing

  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • 3 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • ½ cup chopped pecans

Instructions

Pumpkin Gingerbread

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Coat a 13- x 9-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray.
  • In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside
  • Add the sugar and butter to a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer for several minutes until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, molasses, and pumpkin purée and mix for 2 to 3 minutes, until well blended. Add the dry ingredients and mix for about 30 seconds, until just barely combined. Add the boiling water and mix again for about a minute or until combined.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick pressed into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow the cake to cool for 15 minutes before preparing the icing.

Maple Pecan Icing

  • Melt butter with maple syrup and heavy cream in a medium saucepan over LOW heat. Bring to a low boil and allow to cook for about one minute, stirring constantly.
  • Remove from the heat and whisk in the powdered sugar, whisking vigorously, until the sugar is incorporated and the mixture is smooth. Mix in the pecans.
  • Pour icing over cake while still warm.

Notes

Look for regular, unsulphured molasses like Grandma's Original. It is a light molasses and the best variety to use for baked goods. Don't substitute blackstrap molasses which is thicker, darker and has a bitter flavor. It should only be used in recipes that specifically call out for it.
Be sure to purchase pumpkin purée and not pumpkin pie filling which has spices and other ingredients added. The cans are nearly identical and it's an easy mistake to make.
You want to use pure maple syrup in the icing, not pancake syrup, which is basically corn syrup with artificial maple flavor added.

Nutrition

Calories: 374kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 63mg | Sodium: 308mg | Potassium: 313mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 33g | Vitamin A: 3625IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 2mg