Pumpkin Streusel Coffee Cake

One of my favorite things about the holiday season is all the kitchen traditions we have made over the years. We always have Indian Pudding on Thanksgiving, Mrs. A's meatballs on Christmas Eve, and days upon days of cookie baking and decorating. We've been making this pumpkin coffee cake for many years, and it is the perfect thing to have around for breakfast with a cup of coffee, or as an afternoon snack while decorating our mountains of cookies. 

The basic recipe comes from the Moosewood Restaurant Book of Desserts and  we have added a few twists to make it our own. The cake is moist and soft, and full of the fall spices that make everything so fragrant and delicious. While we find it pretty much perfect as is, this simple cake is easily adaptable; throw in a handful of chocolate chips or dried cranberries to start your own kitchen tradition.

Pumpkin Streusel Coffee Cake
adapted from Moosewood Restaurant Book of Desserts
 

1 cup butter

2 cups brown sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cup pumpkin puree

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1 cup chopped toasted walnuts or pecans

Topping

3/4 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Pinch of salt

1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts or pecans

Icing:
1 1/2 cups powder sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
pinch salt
2-3 tablespoons milk

Pre heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9x13 baking pan with cooking spray.

Make streusel topping:

In a medium bowl, with your fingers blend the first 5 ingredients together, making a moist crumble. Add the nuts and mix to combine. Set aside.

In the bowl of your mixer cream together the butter and sugar, until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Add the eggs, one at a time. Add the vanilla and pumpkin puree and continue to beat until thoroughly mixed.  Stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, ginger, cloves and allspice. Add to the pumpkin mixture and mix until combined then fold in the nuts. Pour batter in prepared pan, smooth top and sprinkle streusel topping evenly over the top
.
Bake in for 40 -50 minutes, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool.

When cake has cooled mix together icing ingredients in a small bowl, adding enough milk so that icing drizzles from your spoon. Drizzle the icing over the cooled cake. (I put the icing in a sandwich bag, snip off the corner and drizzle away)
Printable recipe

 

Enjoy!

  
Link:Foodie Friday

Pumpkin Whoopies Pies

In our house we love the flavors of fall, from pumpkin breads and muffins,apple tarts, to cranberry,and our favorite pear pie. While we are lucky enough to have our summer weather last well into September, it does make our fall season seem a little short. It feels like just a quick month before we are already into our Christmas cookies and peppermint treats. We try our best to get in plenty of fall baking, and these pumpkin whoopie pies are a great way to celebrate the cooler days and changing leaves. 

These cake sandwich cookies really deliver on the fall flavors. They are full of pumpkin and warm spices, and the sweet and tangy cream cheese filling makes these almost like an inside out cupcake, that is portable and easy to eat. 

The recipe for these came from the Baked Cookbook, and the guys behind the famous bakery explain that cold pumpkin is key to making these whoopie pies. It makes your whoopies easier to scoop and gives them a domed top, so be sure to plan ahead for these. The cookies and filling can both be made ahead and stored separately for a day or two, and will also last a few days assembled in the refrigerator.  I made 1/2 the recipe and using my tablespoon scoop I got 18 whoopies (36 cookies)

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
Baked New Frontiers in Baking by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito

Whoopies pies
3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1 tablespoon ginger
1 tablespoon cloves
2 cups dark brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 cups chilled pumpkin purée
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

Filling:
3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch of salt (my addition)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silpats

In a large bowl whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda cinnamon, ginger, and cloves, and set aside.

In a separate bowl whisk together the brown sugar and oil, until combined. Add pumpkin purée and whisk to combine thoroughly. Add the eggs and vanilla and whisk until combined.

Sprinkle flour mixture over the pumpkin and whisk until completely combined.

Use a small ice cream scoop with a release mechanism to droop heaping tablespoons of dough onto prepared baking sheets, about one inch apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the cookies are just starting to crack on the top and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cookie comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool completely on the pan while you make the filling.

Make the filling:

Sift powdered sugar into a medium bowl and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until it is completely smooth, with no visible lumps. Add cream cheese and beat until combined. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla and pinch of salt and beat until smooth. Be careful not to over beat the filling or it will loose its structure. (The filling can be made 1 day ahead. Cover the bowl tightly and put it in the refrigerator. Let filling soften at room temperature before using)

Assemble the whoopie pies:
Turn half of the cookies upside down (flat side facing up). Use an ice cream scoop or tablespoon to drop a large dollop of filling onto the flat side of the cookies. Place another cookie, flat side down, on top of the filling. Press down slightly so that the filling spreads to the edges of the cookies. Repeat until all the cookies are used. Put the whoopie pies in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to firm up before serving. The whoopie pies will keep for up to 3 days, in a tightly covered container, in the refrigerator.
printable recipe

Foodie Friday

Pumpkin Pie Bars

 

Oatmeal and raisins were the mandatory ingredients for the October Improv Challenge. I usually have a couple of ideas in my mind, and I think them over for a few weeks before tackling my recipe of choice. Even though it is October, it is still so hot in my neck of the woods that I started out making oatmeal cookie ice cream. Every time I make ice cream I think it will be the last time for the year, but if it doesn't cool down soon I'll be making ice cream for Thanksgiving! Despite oatmeal and raisins bringing to mind warm, homey fall flavors in cookies and crisps, I forged ahead with my cool treat and successfully got the ice cream to taste like oatmeal cookie dough.  However, I wasn't quite able to master an oatmeal and raisin add-in that we liked, and kept mulling over ideas that could possibly make it work.

For a few days, about a week ago, we had some rain and clouds and real October weather, so I took advantage of that and decided to scrap the ice cream and go with a fall dessert. Boy Mimi loves anything pumpkin, so I decided to combine a family favorite with the challenge ingredients and came up with these pumpkin bars. They have a chewy cake-like base with a creamy pumpkin pie filling, and it is all topped with a crispy oatmeal-raisin streusel topping. It was a winning combination of cake, pumpkin pie, and oatmeal raisin cookies. Boy Mimi definitely approved and I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked the oatmeal raisin addition to these bars. Unfortunately we are now back to 90 degrees outside so I may have to revisit that ice cream recipe, but I know we will definitely be back to this recipe, oatmeal raisin crumb and all, in the coming cooler months. 

Pumpkin Pie Bars

Prepare a 9x13 pan by spraying with cooking spray or grease and flour.
Pre-heat oven to 350F

Ingredients:
 2-1/2 cups sifted flour
 1 Tsp. salt
 1-1/2 cups sugar
 2 Tsp. double acting baking powder
 1/4 cup cold butter

Preparation: In a food processor combine flour, salt, suga,r and baking powder and mix well to blend. Cut the butter into small pieces and add to the food processor bowl. Cover and process until mixture is very fine. Make sure that the butter is completely  and evenly distributed in the flour mixture. Remove 1 1/2 cups and reserve for topping. To remaining mix add:

 1/3 cup soft butter
 1 egg

 Pulse a few times until combined, but still crumbly. Press into prepared pan.

Filling:

1 large can pumpkin or 28 ounces of fresh cooked and drained pumpkin
1 1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cloves
2 eggs
2/3 cups milk.

To the now empty food processor add all ingredients and process until  homogeneous, and pour over the crust.

Topping
To reserved crust mixture add:

1/2 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 soft butter
1/3 cup raisins

In a medium bowl mix all ingredients together to form a large crumb and sprinkle evenly over the filling mixture. Bake for 45-50 minutes until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature. Cut and serve. 
printable recipe

Links: Foodie Friday

White Chocolate Pumpkin Truffles

According to the calendar, it's officially autumn, but the 90 degree heat says otherwise. As much as I would love to be roasting squash and baking pumpkin treats, I just can't make myself stand in the kitchen all day with the oven at full blast.

Despite the heat, I couldn't pass up the cans of pumpkin I saw at the store and I knew this recipe would be a great way to ease into fall flavors without too much time in a hot kitchen. These truffles have the spiced pumpkin flavor I was craving, with a little bit of crunch from the graham cracker crumbs and the white chocolate shell. they are easy and delicious, and most importantly, don't require hours in front of an oven!

I used some Halloween colored sprinkles here but I think with some red, orange, or gold dust on top these would make a pretty (and easy) addition to any Thanksgiving dessert display. I know it will be cool enough for pie baking by then, but a little twist on the traditional pumpkin pie is always fun too!

White Chocolate Pumpkin Truffles
adapted from healthy food for living

12 oz. good quality white chocolate
1/4 cup cream cheese
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp nutmeg
pinch cloves
pinch allspice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 cup finely crushed graham cracker crumbs
Seasonal sprinkles or edible decorations

12 silicone or foil lined mini muffin cups or other small silicone cups


Melt white chocolate  in the top of a double boiler over medium heat on the stove, stirring constantly until completely melted.  Remove from heat. Using a small spoon, place about 3/4 of a teaspoon of the melted chocolate in a reusable silicone mini cup or into a foil lined mini muffin cup, tilt the cups to swirl the chocolate to cover as much as possible. If necessary, use a paint brush to paint up the sides of the cups with extra chocolate. The chocolate should be thick enough that you can not see through it. You should have left over chocolate when all the cups are done.

Place the cups onto a tray and place in the freezer for about 15 minutes, or until completely hardened.  Remove from freezer (and peel the silicone or papers off of the hardened shells, I did this when I was completely finished with the candies )

In a medium bowl combine the cream cheese, pumpkin, spices and the vanilla, whisk or beat until smooth.  Add the powdered sugar and whisk until combined.  Stir in the graham cracker crumbs

Using a small spoon, gently divide the mixture among the chocolate cups filling to just below the ridge. Smooth the tops to create an even surface.
Re-heat the remaining melted white chocolate if necessary.  Spoon a small amount of melted chocolate over the smoothed filling surfaces, making sure the chocolate reaches all the way to the edges to seal the cups.  Sprinkle with decorative seasonal sprinkles or edible decorations. (here is where I removed them from the silicon molds)

printable recipe

Foodie Friday

Pumpkin Parfait with Brown Sugar Crumble and Bourbon Cream

Hard to believe, but it's already time for the November Improv cooking challenge. Sheryl at The Lady Behind The Curtain is no longer able to organize this group so Kristen at Frugal Antic of a Harried Homemaker has taken over hosting the challenge. The November ingredients were cream cheese and pumpkin. We choose to make a parfait using pumpkin pie as our inspiration. It has the same flavors as pie, but is super easy to make and there is no pie crust to roll out. A light and creamy pumpkin cream cheese filling is layered with a brown sugar crumble and topped with a bourbon spiked whipped cream. We layered it in small individual serving dishes, starting with some crumble on the bottom of the dish followed by a layer of pumpkin filling, then a spoonful of bourbon cream on top, and more brown sugar crumble sprinkled over the whipped cream. We liked that this dessert was a new twist on a classic, but still had the familiar flavors that everyone expects at a Thanksgiving dinner. 

We used both individual small dishes and mini two-bite sized serving dishes but you could easily make it as one big dessert in a pie dish or a small trifle dish. The individual parts can all be made several days ahead, but save assembly for the day before serving so the crumble stays crunchy.

Pumpkin Parfait with Brown Sugar Crumble and Bourbon Whipped Cream

Brown Sugar crumble

1/2 cup flour

 3  tablespoons brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup melted butter

In a medium bowl mix together dry ingredients. Add melted butter and stir with a fork or your fingers until well mixed.
Crumble mixture on a baking sheet and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes total. After the initial 8 minutes stir the mixture to break up clumps and continue baking until golden brown. Remove from oven and stir to break up any big clumps. Let cool.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Filling

8 oz cream cheese
½ cup pumpkin puree
½ cup sugar
1 tablespoon molasses
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ginger
¼ teaspoon allspice
1 cup whipping cream

Whip cream with 2  tablespoon of the sugar. Set aside Whip the cream cheese until smooth. Add remaining sugar, pumpkin, molasses, cinnamon, ginger and allspice. Beat with paddle for about five minutes, scraping down the side as needed, until light and fluffy. Fold in the whipped cream.

Bourbon Whipped Cream

1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/3 cup sugar
2-3 tablespoons bourbon or brandy (or omit and add 1 teaspoon vanilla)

In a chilled bowl beat the cream, sugar and flavoring until semi firm peaks form.

Assembly:

In the bottom of your serving dish(s) sprinkle a layer of brown sugar crumble, follow with a layer of pumpkin filling, and top with whipped cream and sprinkle the top with crumble. You can also make several thinner layers alternating the crumble and filling if you would like. Chill until serving time.

printable recipe

Link: Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum

Thanksgiving Bread

Traditions abound here at Mimi's Kitchen throughout the year, but some of our favorites come during the fall holidays, and this beautiful braided bread is one of them. Years ago I went to a bread baking class just for fun at a local adult school and the teacher gave us her Thanksgiving bread recipe. It's a lovely golden color, which it gets from either winter squash or pumpkin. The pumpkin/squash keeps it moist, but doesn't impart too much flavor. What I like about the recipe is that it makes one very large loaf for a crowd, or you can make 2 smaller loaves, which would be perfect for sharing with friends or neighbors for their Thanksgiving table.

If you have leftovers this makes excellent french toast, turkey sandwiches or even bread pudding. It is a perfect way to infuse some fall flavor and color into your meal throughout the season.

Squash Bread

makes 2 loaves

2 tablespoons yeast

3/4 cup warm water

1 1/4 cup pumpkin or orange squash puree

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 cup milk

1/3 cup soft butter

1 egg

5 1/2 cups flour

1. Dissolve yeast in warm water. Add a pinch of sugar and let stand until bubbly.

2. Combine pumpkin, milk, sugar, butter, egg and salt in a large bowl.  Add the yeast mixture and stir to incorporate.You can use your stand mixer for this.

3. Add add 4 3/4 cup flour and stir to make a smooth dough.

4.  Turn dough on a lightly floured surface and knead(about 10 minutes by hand or 5-7 minutes in mixer with a dough hook), adding remaining flour as necessary to create a dough that is smooth and silky. Dough should not be tacky. 

 5. Place dough in a greased bowl (I spray them with PAM) cover with plastic wrap and let rise until double in size about 1  1/2 hours.

6. Punch dough down and shape.

If making two loaves divide the dough in half. Each half is then divided into thirds. Shape each third into a 14 inch rope.  On a baking sheet lined with a silpat braid your 3 ropes into one loaf (I cross them in the center of the ropes and braid to the ends)
Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until double in size.
Bake in a 375 degree oven until golden (about 20-30 minutes depending on the size of your loaf.
When bread comes out of the oven and is still warm, brush the crust with soft butter. 
Cool completely on a wire rack.
printable recipe

links: Foodie Fridays at Designs by Gollum

TWD: Holiday Bundt Cake

The last TWD recipe for November is the All in One Holiday Bundt Cake, picked by Britin of The NittyBritty. This easy cake was a big success at our house. Every bite was full of the flavors of fall-apples, pumpkin, tart cranberries, crunchy pecans, and the cinnamon powdered sugar glaze has become a new family favorite. Paired with a mug of warm mulled cider, this was the perfect fall dessert.
.

If you want to make this delicious holiday cake jump on over to The Nitty Britty or get yourself a copy of Dorie's book.

Hocus Pocus Pumpkin Cupcakes

Check out all of the entries and vote for the October Cupcake Hero now thru October 21 at

I Heart Cuppycakes

     When I ventured over to I Heart Cuppycakes! I met up with the cupcake heroes. What a fun and creative group of bakers! Their cupcakes looked so fantastic. I wanted to bake cupcakes; I wanted to be a cupcake hero.

   Booo-tiful Pumpkins is the theme for October. The cupcakes have a delicate pumpkin flavor and a velvety texture, and are topped with a light and airy caramel buttercream. I was so focused on creating pumpkin cupcakes that were rich and flavorful but didn't have the dense heaviness of pumpkin bread that I totally jelled on the decoration aspect of the theme, but I didn't have to worry The Frosted Cake 'n Cookie had my back. A visit to this very talented baker's blog taught me how to make these adorable witches hats.  If you haven't stopped by before, you should definitely make a visit.

Hocus Pocus Pumpkin Cupcakes

 with Carmel Buttercream

Makes 9 cupcakes

1 cup All Purpose Four
¼ tsp baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp ground ginger
½ tsp salt
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
Pinch cloves

2.5 oz unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup light brown sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup canned pumpkin puree

In small bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices. Set aside.

Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy with an electric mixer. Add the egg and continue beating until incorporated. Add pumpkin puree and mix well. Add the flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with 2 additions of buttermilk. Mix well; batter will be fluffy.

Scoop batter into prepared muffin tins. Bake at 350 for 15-18 minutes until golden. Let cool completely before frosting.

printable recipe

Caramel Buttercream Frosting:

2 egg whites
3 Tablespoons sugar

4 Tablespoons sugar
¼ cup boiling water

1 cup soft unsalted butter
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/3 cups confectioners’ sugar.

In bowl of electric mixer beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Slowly add the 3 tablespoon sugar while beating at high speed until thick and glossy.

In a heavy bottom pan evenly sprinkle 4 tablespoons sugar. Place pan over medium heat and cook, swirling pan by the handle, until the sugar melts and turns a golden brown.  Remove from heat and carefully stir in the boiling water, using a long handled wooden spoon . Caramel will sputter and bubble when you add the water. Stir to dissolve all of the caramel.

With the mixer on low speed slowly add the warm caramel mixture to the beaten egg whites. When all of the caramel has been incorporated, turn the mixer on high and continue beating until cool,scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.When the mixture is cool reduce speed to medium high and add the butter 1-2 tablespoons at a time until incorporated. Add the confectioner’s sugar, vanilla and salt and continue beating until light and fluffy.
printable recipe

Witches hat's are made with fondant and if you want detailed direction visit The Frosted Cake 'n Cookie