A tender, moist easy-t0-make single-layer cake that serves 12 to 16 people and has all the best flavors of fall — and a first-rate frosting? Yes, please. That’s what I said when Abby Dodge described her latest Baking Together recipe to me. I could hardly wait to try it, and now that I have (along with everyone in the office who enjoyed the copious leftovers), I can confirm that Pumpkin Spice Cake with Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting is definitely one for your repertoire. So good.

For Thanksgiving, you could forget the fussy desserts and just make this cake. Or you could happily tote the cake to a Friendsgiving. Or just make it to have around the house when the family is home for the holiday weekend (breakfast…mmmm!).

Because the recipe uses not quite a full can of pumpkin, Abby thoughtfully created a most excellent destination for that remaining three ounces of puree. And talk about good! These Spiced Pumpkin Pancakes (again – lightly spiced, not too heavy) are lofty and fluffy and simply the best pancakes I’ve had in a while.

My stash of pumpkin puree got me thinking, too, of Abby’s Pumpkin Cream Cheese Tart with a Pretzel Crust from a couple years ago. Click that right out of the archive and on to your Thanksgiving dessert list if you are looking for something elegant.

Me, I know the next can of pumpkin will wind up in a batch of my mom’s pumpkin bread (again, moist – we are in a no-dry-pumpkin-bread zone here, something apparently many people dread according to recent lunchtime chatter in the newsroom!). Try the recipe for Pumpkin-Ginger Quickbread with Fresh Cranberries if you don’t believe me.

Now if you’re interested in messing around with the real thing (the actual pumpkin, before it magically turns into a can), don’t forget about Dorie Greenspan’s classic recipe, Pumpkin Stuffed with Everything Good. Yes, that does include bread, cheese, bacon and cream!

Or you could stuff a little koginut squash instead of a pumpkin and have an impressive vegetarian main dish on your Thanksgiving table. Roasted Koginut Squash with Apple, Cranberry & Brussels Sprouts Stuffing has its share of good stuff, too.

Speaking of your Thanksgiving table, we’ve got more suggested menu ideas this week – just scroll down to Thanksgiving Central below.

In the meantime, you’ve got to eat. How about Chicken, Kale, Parmigiano and Ricotta Meatballs one night this week?

Or Spaghetti with Lemon, Anchovies, Capers and Olives? Yes, definitely.

It’s also high time we made a batch of Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Smoky Tomato Rub.

And Big Molasses Crinkle Cookies, just because they’re another Mom recipe (with a little tweaking) and this is the time of year I start to get baking-with-Mom nostalgia.

Whatever you cook this week, make it something (or some things) you really love. And I’ll see you on Instagram @cookthevineyard. Be sure to follow us if you haven't already.

Thanksgiving Central

Visit Cook the Vineyard's Thanksgiving Central 2022 to find recipes, sources (including for fresh turkeys), places to pre-order Thanksgiving items to go, and restaurants serving Thanksgiving dinner.