Sweet of the Week #34i and #35i, Pumpkin Pistachio Bundt Cake

I am all about pumpkin this time of year. I love the warm, comforting foods of Autumn and pumpkin is without a doubt my favorite ingredient this season, following closely by squash and apples. This week I share with you a Pumpkin Pistachio Bundt Cake.

This cake is a slightly modified version of Kristen’s recipe.  Kristen is the brilliant blogger behind Dine and Dish.  She’s fun, witty, shares delicious recipes and has a great eye for photography.  She is also a super kind gal, answering many of my blogging and photography questions.  She shared her Pumpkin Bundt cake recipe in a guest post at I Am Baker. I’ve modified the recipe to include two of my challenge ingredients, pistachio oil and kaniwa, and have made it gluten- and dairy-free. Big thanks to Kristen for sharing what quickly became a favorite with my family, neighbors and friends!

About this week’s challenge ingredients:  I located Roasted Pistachio Oil on my recent visit to Jungle Jim’s.  It was $12 for a small metal container.  It has a green color similar to grapeseed oil and a deep, roasted flavor that would be a great in many Autumn dishes. From the first taste of this oil, there is no mistaking that it comes from pistachios, the nut flavor comes through very clearly.  I plan to use it on roasted Brussels sprouts this weekend. The second ingredient used this week is kaniwa flour. Kaniwa is an ancient seed, much like quinoa and teff, that is used like a grain.  It has a high protein content.  I paid $13 for a 1 pound box of this flour. When used in this cake, it caused the finished product to have a darker color, making it easily mistaken for a chocolate cake.  I thought you might want to know that before you started experimenting with incorporating it into your recipes.

Pumpkin Pistachio Bundt Cake with Pumpkin Glaze
For the cake:

• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup Earth Balance vegan buttery sticks or butter if you use dairy, softened
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 2/3 cup Amande, almond yogurt
• 2 T. Roasted Pistachio Oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
• 2 cups of my favorite gluten-free flour blend
• 1 cup kaniwa flour
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
•  1 teaspoon guar gum
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt

 For the glaze:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened almond milk
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons canned pumpkin
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 Tablespoon Roasted Pistachio Oil
• 1/4 cup chopped pistachios 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour a 12-cup bundt pan.  Use the gluten-free flour blend, not kaniwa, to flour your bundt pan.

In bowl of stand mixer, beat Earth Balance/butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time until well incorporated.  Add pumpkin, almond yogurt, pistachio oil and vanilla.  Mix on low until well blended.  With mixer on low add flours one cup at a time, followed by all other dry ingredients.  Pour batter into greased and floured bundt pan.  Bake for 60 minutes until cake tester or knife inserted into center comes out clean. Allow cake to cool fully before attempting to remove from the pan.  This is essential if you are using one of the super intricate bundt pans. 

To make the glaze, place powdered sugar in a medium bowl.  Slowly whisk in the powdered sugar until there are no lumps.  This will be very thick.  Continue whisking while adding in vanilla, pumpkin, cinnamon and Roasted Pistachio Oil. 

Drizzle glaze over the top of the cooled cake and sprinkle with chopped pistachios.  Enjoy!