Tartine Pumpkin Tea Cake

Hi everyone. I’m comin’ right at you with the most fall item of them all. Pumpkin spice everything. I’m usually not excited by pumpkin breads anymore but this one? Oh boy, this one. It has a plush, moist crumb and an insane amount of cinnamon goodness that makes all of my fall dreams come true. I want to curl up on a slice of this cake and take a sweet little nap. I urge you to not forget the pepitas and sprinkling of sugar on the top of this cake. It’s crunchy, roasted, sweetness really puts this cake (slash bread???) in the front runners of the best pumpkin baked good I’ve had.

I usually go more towards apples and apple cider items in the fall, and avoid the pumpkin spice craze, but when I saw this recipe I knew it was time to give the pumpkin world a moment of my time. This recipe hails from the famous Tartine Bakery in San Francisco, CA. You can find their cookbook here. It really is a staple in any baker’s kitchen.

Happy Fall, everyone.

Tartine Pumpkin Tea Cake

• 1 2/3 (225 g) cups all-purpose flour

• 1 1/2 (7 mL) baking powder

• 1/2 tsp (2 mL) baking soda

• 1 tbsp + 2 tsp (25 mL) ground cinnamon

• 2 tsp (10 mL) nutmeg, freshly grated

• 1/4 tsp (1 mL) ground cloves

• 1 cup + 2 tbsp (255 g) pumpkin purée

• 1 cup (250 mL) vegetable oil

• 1 1/3 cup (270 g) granulated sugar

• 3/4 tsp (4 mL) sea salt

• 3 large eggs

• 2 tbsp sugar for topping

• 3 tbsp pepitas for topping

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan, and line with parchment paper so ends are sticking out over the pan. This will make it easier to remove once baked.

2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in a medium sized bowl.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, or a large mixing bowl, beat the pumpkin purée, oil, sugar and salt together until well blended.

4. Add eggs one at a time. Mixing completely after each addition. Scrape down sides of bowl.

5. Add the flour and mix until just combined.

6. Pour the batter into the prepared 9x5 inch loaf pan. Sprinkle the sugar and pepitas on top.

7. Bake for about an hour, or until a skewer comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and let it sit for 20 minutes before removing. Use the sides of the parchment paper to pull the cake out of the pan.