I have a confession to make (which won't come as a surprise to anyone who has read more than one entry of this blog) - I am an 'office baker'. That person who bakes high calorie desserts on the weekend and then forces them on her co-workers during the week so that she doesn't end up eating them all herself. From what I've read recently, this can be a controversial role in the office, especially nowadays when everyone is always trying to watch what they eat. However, in my defense, I don't bake for them every weekend (about once a month I'd say), AND I work in an office comprised entirely of men (enough said, I think).
Anyway, it's doubly bad for them (or good, depending on your views on office bakers) because I am foreign. This means that all British baking is new to me, and, as a baker, I feel challenged to attempt as many new recipes as possible. As a result, my office has consumed more than a few variations on Battenbergs, mince pies, flapjacks, custard tarts, lemon drizzle cake and welsh cakes. However, because I am foreign, I also force them to try more familiar (to me) recipes, often in celebration of North American holidays not celebrated here. In this way, I have introduced them to zucchini loaf, m&m chocolate chip cookies, snickerdoodles, nanaimo bars and pumpkin pie (slightly controversial, by the way. I think it's not as huge a hit
outside North America as we think it should be. I won't even try to get
them to eat sweet potatoes with marshmallow topping...it might push them
over the edge!).
I've made these for tomorrow in another attempt to celebrate Thanksgiving abroad. No Thanksgiving is complete without something made with pumpkins, and this Martha Stewart recipe looked amazing. The recipe here is for cupcakes, but Martha's has directions for a 9" round cake. Either way, it's a delicious cake. The finished product is very sweet though, just to warn you, so even though you may be tempted to add more frosting, I wouldn't - you'll see. Trust me :)
Happy Thanksgiving!!
Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Brown Butter Frosting
Makes ~ 30 small cupcakes
Pumpkin Puree
1 small pumpkin
vegetable oil
cinnamon (optional)
Cake
8 tbsp unsalted butter
1 2/3 c. plain flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 c. caster sugar
2 large eggs
1 c. pumpkin puree
1/2 c. warm milk (110 degrees)
Frosting
4 tbsp unsalted butter
1 c. icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 to 2 tbsp milk
Caramelized Walnuts
30 walnut halves
3/4 c. caster sugar
Pumpkin Puree Directions:
1. If you can't get canned pumpkin, make your own - it's easy! Cut a pumpkin into quarters, scoop out the seeds and rub with vegetable oil.
2. Roast in a 350F oven for 1hr, until soft and lightly browned.
3. Once cool enough to touch, peel away the skin and puree the pumpkin flesh until smooth.
Cake Directions:
1. Combine dry ingredients in one bowl, mix well.
2. Cream butter and sugar together until light in colour. Add eggs one by one, beating between each addition.
3. Add pumpkin puree and warmed milk. Stir to combine.
4. Add dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture. Stir to combine.
5. Spoon batter into prepared muffin tin, filling each cup 2/3 full.
6. Bake at 350F for 20 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the centre comes out clean (these are moist cupcakes though, so don't mistake moisture for wet batter).
Frosting Directions:
1. Heat the butter in a pan over medium-high heat for 10 minutes, or until the butter turns a nutty brown colour.
2. Combine icing sugar, vanilla and milk in a small bowl. Add browned butter to icing, leaving (as much as possible) the burnt bits behind in the pan.
3. Stir well to combine, then let cool for 5 minutes. Spread immediately after cooling.
Caramelized Walnuts:
1. Heat sugar in a pan over medium heat for approximately 10 minutes *without stirring*, until sugar liquefies and caramelizes.
2. Once the sugar has become a runny caramel, toss in each walnut half one at time, coating all sides with caramel.
3. Scoop out walnut halves and lay on a piece of parchment paper to cool.
4. Press caramlized walnuts into frosted cupcakes for an extra bit of crunch.
Enjoy!
