This month I’ll be featuring all sorts of pumpkin desserts
to help celebrate the season! To kick it off, I baked my favorite pumpkin pound cake with a maple-pecan glaze.
I like to combine equal parts roasted sugar pumpkin and
kabocha squash puree for my pumpkin recipes. The kabocha squash is a bit more
starch than sugar pumpkin and has a gorgeous bright orange flesh. Once pureed, kabocha
makes a thicker puree and has an extra intense squash flavor that pumpkin
lovers will really enjoy. And roasting gives the squash and pumpkin, a yummy caramel
flavor that add to the warm spices used in the batter.
If y’all love pumpkin as much as I do, don’t forget: There’s
much more to come this month!
Pumpkin Pound Cake
with a Maple-Pecan Glaze
Makes 12-16 servings
Ingredients:
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
5 large eggs
2 cups Roasted Sugar Pumpkin and Kabocha Squash Puree (recipe follows)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Directions:
1.
Position a rack in the center of the oven and
preheat to 325°F. Lightly coat a 12-cup Bundt cake pan with non-stick cooking
spray. Sift the flour, baking powder, soda, salt, and spices and set aside.
2.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the
paddle attachment, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and dark brown sugar
until light and fluffy. Slowly add the eggs, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract
and mix until combined. Slowly add the sifted dry ingredients and mix until
just smooth. Evenly spoon the batter into the prepared Bundt pan and bake for
55 to 60 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick or cake tester comes out clean
when inserted in center.
3.
Cool for 15 minutes in the pan on a rack; invert
onto a cooling rack and let cool until room temperature. Glaze with the
Maple-Pecan Glaze just before serving.
Maple-Pecan Glaze
Makes about 1 1/2 cups
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 to 1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped
Directions:
1.
In a small saucepan, bring the butter, maple
syrup, and cream to a boil and let cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and
slowly whisk in the confectioner’s sugar and salt into the hot mixture until
smooth. Let cool for about 15 to 20 minutes, until slightly thickened. Stir in
the pecans, and pour over the cooled cake.
To make your own pumpkin-kabocha
squash puree at home:
Roasted Sugar Pumpkin and Kabocha Squash Puree
Makes about 8 cups
Ingredients:
1 4-pound sugar pumpkin
1 4-pound kabocha squash
Directions:
1.
Position a rack in the center of the oven and
preheat to 350°F.
2.
Cut pumpkin and squash into eighths. Place in
large baking dish, fill with about 1/4-inch of water, and cover with foil.
Roast for about 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until flesh is fork tender.
Remove foil and continue to bake until just caramelized, 15 to 30 minutes.
3.
Remove from oven and once cooled enough to
handle, use a large spoon to scrape flesh from skin. Puree the pumpkin and
squash flesh in a food processor until smooth. Let cool to room temperature
before refrigerating or using.
this is a great recipe with a perfect flavor for this season...nice to meet you xoxoxo, Flavia
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