All-in-One Holiday Cake

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• Pinch of salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger root
• 1 1/4 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups canned unsweetened pumpkin puree
• 1 large apple, peeled, cored and finely chopped
• 1 cup fresh cranberries, halved or coarsely chopped
• 1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped

Directions

1. Place a rack in the middle of the oven and heat it to 350 degrees F. Generously butter a 9- to 10-inch bundt pan, about 12-cup capacity. Skip the baking sheet here, since the heat needs to circulate through the open center of the pan. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt, plus the ground ginger if that is what you are using.
2. With a mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment if you have it, cream the butter with both sugars on medium speed until the mixture looks pale and airy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing for 1 minute after each goes in, then mix in the vanilla. Turn the mixer to low and add the pumpkin, chopped apples and grated ginger. If the batter looks a little separated, do not worry. With the mixer still on low, add the dry mixture and mix just until it disappears into the batter. Use a rubber spatula to fold in the cranberries and pecans.
3. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and level the surface with the spatula. Put the pan in the oven and bake for 60 to 70 minutes, until a knife poked into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Move the pan to a rack and let the cake rest for 10 minutes, then turn it out. Leave it on the rack until it reaches room temperature.
4. Right before serving, sift confectioner's sugar over the cake. The apples, cranberries and nuts make neat little slices tricky, which is fine, since a fuller piece shows off the mix of flavors best. If you are serving it in the afternoon, it does not need anything else, though softly whipped cream or ice cream works nicely. For brunch, lightly toast slices and add a little salted butter and/or a thin pour of pure maple syrup.
5. For storage, wrap the cake well and keep it at room temperature for up to 5 days, when it will be especially good toasted, or freeze it for up to 2 months.