The Pumpkin Patch

As I mentioned before, I adore autumn. The abundance of color and smells are intoxicating. One of the great joys is going to a pumpkin patch to pick the perfect pumpkin. Whether it is just for a fall decoration or to carve for a Jack-o-Lantern it is a fun acitivity for a crisp fall day. If you go to a farm stand they will always have pumpkins that can be used for baking and cooking. They are usually small and not as fiberous as the carving type. It is easy to use them, just split in half, remove seeds and place face down on a non stick baking sheet and roast in a 350 degree oven until fork tender. You can also roast the pumpkin seeds on a separate sheet pan . After roasting them sprinkle with a little Kosher salt and they are a delicous and healthy snack.
There are so many recipes to make using fresh or canned pumpkin. Pumpkin is so versitile , it can be used for both savory or sweet recipes. I have included a recipe for one of my favorite cakes. It is a Pumpkin Spice Cake with Pumpkin Cream Cheese Icing garnished with pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries and chopped walnuts. Put a pot of mulled cider on the stove while baking this cake and you will engulf yourself with a kitchen full of fall’s delectable aromas.
Happy Fall

Ann

Pumpkin Spice Cake
12 oz. sweet butter
1 cup sugar
1 c light brown sugar
3 eggs
1 t vanilla
2 c all purpose flour
1 cup of pumpkin puree (either fresh or canned)
1/2 c buttermilk
2 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg

Cream butter and sugars together in a bowl of a stand mixer or use a hand mixer. Add egss one at a time until well incorporated. Add pumpkin and vanilla. Mix. IN a separate bowl sift all dry ingredients together. Add alternately with buttermilk.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease 2 9″ layer cake pans, divide the batter equally. Bake for 25 -30 minutes.
Cook in pan for 20 minutes and turn out onto a cooling rack. Ice with pumpkin cream cheese icing and decorate the top with a mixture of pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, dried cranberries and chopped walnuts.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Icing

1 pound of softened cream cheese
3/4 cup softened unsalted butter
4 cups powdered sugar
1 t vanilla
2 t fresh lemon juice
1/4 c pumpkin puree

Put cream cheese and butter in bowl of of stand mixer. Slowly add sugar. MIx together well and add pumpkin , vanilla and lemon juice, Mix well and ice tops and sides of cakes.
Decorate with nut mixture.

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