Fall is my favorite time of year, so I look forward to making my kitchen smell like a gingerbread house, with all those spicy aromas.
Hopefully, it doesn’t remind anyone of the house in the woods in the story of Hansel and Gretel. But I do bake a lot of goodies and sweets and I do live in the woods.
If you like to bake with pumpkin, here are some recipes I hope you enjoy. I also hope you are all enjoying the fall weather.
Pumpkin pudding
1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs, slightly beaten
1 3/4 cups half-and-half or light cream
1. Butter a 1 1/2-quart casserole dish. Preheat oven to 350.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and whisk or beat on low speed until blended. Pour into the prepared casserole and bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. If desired, serve with sweetened whipped cream and cinnamon sugar for sprinkling. Makes 6 to 8 servings.
Frosted pumpkin cookies
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Frosting:
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1. Preheat oven to 350. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, cream together the 1/2 cup of butter and granulated sugar. Add pumpkin, egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla to butter mixture, and beat until creamy. Mix in dry ingredients. Drop on baking sheet by tablespoonfuls; flatten slightly.
3. Bake 15 to 20 minutes. Prepare glaze while cookies bake, then drizzle over each cookie. To make glaze: Combine confectioners’ sugar, milk, 1 tablespoon melted butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add milk, as needed, for a drizzling consistency.
Pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting
1 can (15-oz.) pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 2/3 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable or canola oil
2 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Frosting:
6 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
Finishing touches:
1/3 to 1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup pecans, roughly chopped
1. Preheat oven to 350. Spray and line a 9-by-13-inch pan with parchment paper, creating an overhang.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin. Add remaining ingredients and mix well.
3. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
4. Cool for 10 minutes before turning out onto rack to cool completely for frosting.
5. For frosting, cream butter and cream cheese in a mixing bowl until smooth and fluffy. Using an electric mixer, add the confectioners’ sugar in three batches, starting the beaters on low, to avoid the sugar spraying around. Once the sugar is incorporated, turn the speed up to high and beat for 3 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and mix well. Use frosting immediately.
6. Spread frosting on with a spatula, then use the back of a spoon to make swirls. Drizzle maple syrup, concentrating on the swirls. Sprinkle with chopped pecans.
Praline pumpkin date bread
1 2/3 cups sugar
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 eggs
1 can (15-oz.) pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup chopped dates
Pecan topping (recipe follows)
1. Heat oven to 350. Grease bottoms only of 2 loaf pans.
2. Mix sugar, oil, vanilla, eggs and pumpkin puree in large bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients except dates. Stir in dates.
3. Pour batter into pans, then sprinkle with topping.
4. Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Loosen sides of loaves from pans; remove from pans to wire rack.
5. Cool completely before slicing. Wrap tightly and store at room temperature up to 4 days or refrigerate up to 10 days.
Praline topping
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup chopped pecans
1 tablespoon butter, softened
1. Mix all ingredients until crumbly.