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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.
I hope you all enjoy it too:)
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!
But what about the sad-eyed cousin who wont get any because the children, or worse their friends (or worst of all, the TOM), will consume it all? What about cousin Ran?
Cam even ate a piece, he looked pretty happy too.....And you can quit casting forlorn googly eyes, I wrapped you up a piece to bring over tonight, cause I'm your favorite cousin MUH HAHA HA!
😁
And behold! A prophet in our time!
For tho the chosen slice was saved, it was desecrated by the fork of an unknown villain. It sat upon the scared plate, a bite taken, sullying it beauty.
And so it was written. so it came to pass. For cousin Ran, no cake was had. Mine heart weeps for the loss, shant it ever be whole again?
Whatever shall I... wait you brought frosted sugar cookies? COOKIE! OM NOM NOM NOM!
Thanks, my low blood sugar turned me into a bard of yore for a moment.
I'm sure it was the cake deprivation despair and the excess glucose that caused you to wax poetic, but I don't care, it was awesome! Perhaps Thursday I will craft some fritters as an offering to the cake yore bard....
Oh, drool! I wished you lived near me, I'd take some of that off your hands... :))
Oh I would so just drop you off a piece (or an entire cake) if you lived nearby! The maple buttermilk buttercream frosting was really really awesome! Don't think it would mail good though...🤔😆
I have a cousin in Virginia I need to visit one day, perhaps I'll swing through MA, with a cake, because that would be cool!
That would be so cool! I'd love to have you visit!
This is a great recipe, thank you for sharing it.
Awe thanks for that!
I really wanted to try this one out.
Perfect for the Halloween 🎃
Looks good!
Oh I so hope you do, it would be the perfect thing for the treat part of Halloween!😊
Thanks so much for stopping by!
Me ha provocado una buena porción 😁 o tal vez tres 🤣, soy muy goloso
LOL! By the sound of things, it appears as if I would need to slice and serve you a gigantic slice of cake, you being sweet and all😁
Que sean dos 🤣 mejor
You have come again @generikat with your mouth-watering food.
You make the art of baking look so easy, and make it all look delicious.
Keep it up, my friend.
Ahh, @bruno-kema, you are so good for my ego. What I usually do is make a mess, but the end result is rather tasty most of the time, lol lol!
I will endeavor to persevere on the keep it up front, I hope you do the same!😊
Yet another page to bookmark for future reference and future baking....
I have missed you!!! And that cake disappeared with a rapidness that shocked even me, so I think you'll like it:)
I have a few of those pie pumpkins decorating my home at the moment. My son keeps telling me we need to sacrifice them too. I usually do not drain them. I probably should.
I made a shepherd pie the other day with a Japanese pumpkin in lieu of mashed potatoes. That was good:)
I didn't used to drain my pumpkin either, but that extra little step sure does improve the texture of my baked goods. Hope the sacrifice goes well, lol!
And shepherd's pie with kabocha squash sounds divine! I need to grow some of those little Japanese pumpkins, I love their flavor, and I never thought of piping it onto SP, that's totally a cool, festive, healthy, and tasty idea! Super large high five to you!
The are low carb too unlike regular pumpkins.
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