So, as many in the northern hemisphere already know, it's harvest season, or as what I like to call it, Pumpkin Spice Season. All manner of pumpkin spice accoutrement can be found in most retail establishments this time of year, from pumpkin spice lattes to pumpkin spice scented tires (okay that was a joke but wouldn't that be rad?). Sometimes I bake something pumpkin spicy in the middle of a random month just to be contrary. Okay, no I don't, I bake pumpkin things because I feel like eating them and usually have a freezer full of puree that needs using.
For that is why it is pumpkin spice season, because the pumpkins are ripe and ready! The other day I needed to whip up some pumpkin chocolate chip cookies for a friend, so I grabbed a nice little Amish Pie pumpkin from my need to be roasted and processed pumpkin supply and did my best slasher flick impression on it. That is to say I hacked it in half, scooped out its innards, and roasted it in my oven.
After pureeing the pumpkin and baking the cookies, I found that I still had two cups of glorious pumpkin puree left. I also have children who frequently look at me with sad eyes when I take baked goods out of the house and give them to someone else a lot of the time, so I thought I would make them something special.
Enter the snack cake. I love pumpkin cake, especially the second day as it gets even more moist and the flavors just seem to meld together in a magical way. So I went to my cupboards and started a conceptualizing sesh. People tend to frost their pumpkin cakes in a light fluffy vanilla buttercream or a cream cheese frosting. I love both of those things, but yesterday I was feeling uber-creative, so I decided to make a maple buttermilk buttercream, because why the heck not?
The cake was easy enough to concoct, I started by plopping my pumpkin puree onto a few paper towels for a bit of liquid absorption time. Had to towel off the squash so to speak. I don't think this step would be necessary for store bought pumpkin puree, but for homegrown pumpkin I recommend this step wholeheartedly.
I then poured in some oil, threw in a few eggs, added some white and brown sugar, vanilla extract, and my drained pumpkin to the mixing bowl of my stand mixer and gave it all a whirl.
While the wet ingredients were mimicking riding the Round Up ride at the county fair, I added all the dry ingredients to a separate bowl. Flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice all showed up for the party. I whisked that stuff silly.
Then I slowly added the dry ingredients to the already running stand mixer as I really, really didn't want to inhale or wear them. (FAIL). I swear, no matter how careful I am, I always snort a good volume of anything I'm crafting with cinnamon or powdered sugar. Clumsy baker hazards I swear....
Being careful not to over mix the batter, I removed the bowl from the mixer, and using a spatula, I folded the batter by hand a few times, looking for any flour pockets to demolish. I hate those things.
I then poured the batter into a greased 9X13 straight sided cake pan and baked it for about 32 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. I initially went for thirty minutes bake time on my timer, but the middle of the cake had a bit of saggy glutes ripple when I tapped it after thirty minutes, thus a couple minutes more baking time. So, I would say the cake could bake for 30-35 minutes depending on your oven.
While the cake was cooling I moved onto frosting construction. I make my cake frosting with a simple 1 cup of fat to 3 cups of powdered sugar ratio. I used a stick of butter, 1/2 cup of vegetable shortening, buttermilk for the liquid, and a hint of maple extract along with my usual vanilla extract addition and all I have to say is YUM!
I had to take my kids to the doctor yesterday afternoon. Well, I had to meet one in town after her tech school got out so she could get her sports physical and the other I had to take a town farther for physical therapy, useless to you information aside, let's just say that I was a slightly adored mum for bringing them each a big ol slice of snack cake to enjoy before their appointments.
Pumpkin Snack Cake With Maple Buttermilk Frosting
Cake
4 eggs
1 1/3 cup white sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
16 ounces pumpkin puree
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups of all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp pumpkin pie spicePreheat oven to 350 Fahrenheit. In a mixing bowl, beat eggs, pumpkin, oil, sugar, and vanilla until well combined.
In a separate mixing bowl, add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice, whisk to combine.
Slowly add to wet mixture and mix until just combined. Do not overmix!
Bake in a greased pan at 350 Fahrenheit for 30-35 minutes or until cake is set. Cool to room temperature before frosting.
Frosting
1/2 cup room temperature butter
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
3 cups powdered sugar
2 TBSP buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp maple extractCombine butter and shortening, mixing in with a mixer until light and fluffy.
Add powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time until well incorporated.
Next add buttermilk and extracts. Whip the frosting until light and fluffy.
Lick the beater when done, then frost away!
And as most of the time, all of the images in this post were taken on the author's nowhere near as spicy as that pumpkin cake but can be salty on occasion iPhone.
