Spiced pumpkin cake with maple-bourbon glaze

Makes one 10-inch cake

BATTER

	Shortening (for the pan)
	Flour (for the pan)
3	cups flour
1 1/2	teaspoons baking powder
1	teaspoon baking soda
1	teaspoon salt
2	teaspoons ground cinnamon
1	teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1	teaspoon ground ginger
1/2	teaspoon ground allspice
3	tablespoons fine yellow cornmeal
1	cup seedless golden raisins
3/4	cup coarsely chopped walnuts
3/4	cup coarsely chopped pitted dates
1	cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2	cups sugar
4	eggs
2 1/2	teaspoons vanilla extract
1	can (15 ounces) plain, solid-pack pumpkin

1. Set the oven at 350 degrees. Use the shortening to grease a plain 10-inch tube pan. Line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper cut to fit it and grease the paper. Dust the pan with flour, tapping out the excess; set aside.

2. In a mixing bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice. Use a whisk to stir in the cornmeal.

3. In a small mixing bowl, toss the raisins, walnuts, and dates with 4 teaspoons of the flour mixture.

4. In an electric mixer, cream the butter on medium speed for 3 minutes. Add the sugar in 3 additions, beating for 1 minute on medium-high speed after each portion is added. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Blend in the vanilla.

5. On low speed, blend in the pumpkin until combined. The mixture will look slightly curdled at this point; that's OK.

6. On low speed, add the flour mixture in 3 additions, mixing just until one portion is absorbed before adding the next. Scrape down the bowl often with a rubber spatula.

7. Remove the bowl from the mixer stand and stir in the raisins, walnuts, and dates.

8. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula.

9. Bake the cake for 60 to 65 minutes or until set and a toothpick inserted into the middle is clean or has a few moist crumbs when withdrawn. The baked cake will pull away slightly from the sides of the pan.

10. Set the cake on a rack to cool for 10 minutes. Make the glaze.

GLAZE

1/3	cup bourbon
1/3	cup maple syrup
3	tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into chunks
	Pinch of salt

1. In a saucepan, combine the bourbon, maple syrup, butter, and salt. Bring to the boil over medium-high heat. Boil gently for 1 minute.

2. Lower the heat and let the glaze simmer for 1 minute more.

3. Invert the cake onto another cooling rack, peel off the paper, and invert again onto the first rack so the cake is right side up. Set the rack on a rimmed baking sheet to catch the drips.

4. With a pastry brush, brush the glaze over the top and sides of the cake. Let the cake cool completely. Lisa Yockelson