Pumpkin Gingerbread Cake for when people come and go

So I feel like DC is unique in that friends rotate through here.  People start to hit the 2 to 3 year mark and then they start to think about moving away.  I mean there are not too many people in the area that are actually from DC.  Or maybe its just that I am getting to that age where  my friends and I have been out of college for 3 or 4 years and are looking for the next thing, the next job, the next city to explore.  So, people come and go.  Good friends move away and then some how old friends move here.  Seriously, this just happened this week.  One friend is moving after Thanksgiving, but another college friend just got a job here. Congrats to both!

Okay, down to the gingerbread.  I don't know what it is, but I have been seriously craving gingerbread. That moist, spicy cake that just smells of Christmas.  I mean seriously though, Starbucks made it into a latte.  I just had to make this cake.  I think this is one of those cakes that it totally acceptable to eat for breakfast; by which I mean I totally did all weekend!  If you want to have it for dessert though; this cake would be great with cream cheese frosting!

Pumpkin Gingerbread Cake: (adapted from Food Network Kitchens)

1/3 cup pumpkin puree

1 cup applesauce

1/2 cup soy milk with 1/4 teaspoon cider vinegar

1 cup dark molasses

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup egg beaters or 2 large eggs, beaten

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 tablespoon ground ginger

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/2 cup water

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1.  Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly spray a 9 x 13 inch cake pan with cooking spray.

2.  In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, applesauce, soy milk-vinegar mixture, molasses and sugar.

3.  Add the eggs and whisk until smooth.

4.  In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, salt, cloves and allspice.  Add the flour mixture into the molasses mixture and whisk until just combined.

5.  Bring the water and butter to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the hot liquid to the batter, and whisk until just combined.

6.  Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake the cake in the center of the oven, until a toothpick comes out clean, about 35-40 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan on a rack and Enjoy!