These are moist and delicious, similar to carrot cake but with a fall flavor. Toasting the walnuts before using them brings out a nutty essence. Toast nuts in a single layer on a baking sheet in a 350°F oven for 8 to 10 minutes, just until you can start to smell them; let cool before using.

Cake
2 cups (8 1/2 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice, or 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon each ginger, nutmeg, and cloves
1 cup (7 ounces) vegetable oil
1 cup (7 1/2 ounces) brown sugar
1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 cup (9 1/2 ounces) pumpkin puree
1/2 cup (2 ounces) toasted chopped walnuts
1 cup (6 ounces) golden raisins, or 1/2 cup golden raisins and 1/2 cup ginger mini chips

Cream Cheese Frosting
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup (1/2 stick, 2 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons (1 3/8 ounces) maple syrup
2 cups (8 ounces) confectioners' sugar
1 cup (4 ounces) toasted walnut pieces

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a large rimmed half-sheet pan, about 18" x 13"; or line the pan with greased parchment.

For the cake: Put the first five ingredients in a bowl and whisk together until well incorporated. Set aside. Beat the oil and the sugars together until well blended. Beat in the eggs, then the pumpkin purée, again beating to combine.

Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and add the toasted walnuts and raisins. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for approximately 20 to 25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes and turn onto a rack to finish cooling; or leave it right in the pan, if you've lined the pan with parchment. Frost the cake and cut into bars when cool.

For the frosting: Beat the cream cheese and butter together. Beat in maple syrup and stir well, then mix in the confectioners' sugar. Adjust the consistency of the frosting with additional maple syrup or confectioners' sugar, if necessary; it should be nicely spreadable. Frost the cake and sprinkle with the toasted walnuts. Cut into bars; a pizza wheel works well for this chore. Yield: 36 (2" x 3") bars.

Nutrition information per serving (1 piece, 61 g): 230 cal, 13 g fat, 2 g protein, 10 g complex carbohydrates, 15 g sugar, 1 g dietary fiber, 38 mg cholesterol, 88 mg sodium, 142 mg potassium, 1 mg vitamin C, 1 mg iron, 39 mg calcium, 44 mg phosphorus.

This recipe reprinted from The Baking Sheet Newsletter, Vol. III, No. 8, September-October 1992 issue.