Monday, September 14, 2009

Pumpkin done differently

My baking takes a turn with the seasons. Now that fall is coming up, I love baking with apples and pumpkins and infusing them with spices of ginger, cinnamon, cardamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Today was one of those overcast days we have in Seattle, but I can't complain since out weekend was warm and beautiful. This is a Pumpkin Bread for all intense and purposes, however, I've added a few surprise ingredients you wouldn't expect and instead of baking in a loaf pan, I chose my wonderful mini bundt pan to create these little breads!
Preheat oven 350F-degrees/Convection
In a large bowl mix:
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 large banana--mashed
2 eggs
1/2 cup of oil (I used peanut, but walnut or almond oil would be great too). Use a whisk to blend all of these ingredients.
In a separate bowl add:
2 cups All-Purpose flour, 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda, 1/2 tsp. baking powder, 1/2 tsp. Kosher salt, and 2 tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice. Whisk to incorporate all the dry ingredients. Then, add to the "wet" ingredients and blend with a spatula. (Don't use a mixer) Add 1 cup chopped dates and 3/4 cup toasted walnuts, roughly chopped. Prepare mini bundt pan by spraying with Crisco with flour spray. Use a one-half cup scoop for measuring the batter for the mini bundt pan. Bake 16-18 minutes.
These mini bundt cakes are so moist you can eat them plain, or dusted with confectioners' sugar, or make a glaze.
Glaze: 1 cup confectioner's sugar, 1 tsp. light Karo syrup, 2 to 3 T. warm water.

As an alternative to the mashed banana, I have used a small can of crushed pineapple, drained; or 2 cups of grated zucchini. Also, you could use pecans or even macadamia nuts (if you did the pineapple) instead of the walnuts and try mini chocolate chips. Somehow, chocolate and pumpkin is a great combination. Lastly, if you would rather bake this recipe as a loaf, use a 9" x 5" loaf pan and increase time to 50-60 minutes.  Enjoy!
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4 comments:

  1. Maybe it's because my birthday is in October, but I just love anything pumpkin. I even make pumpkin smoothies with milk or soy milk, yogurt, canned pumpkin and cinnamon. So good--try it with ice cream instead of yogurt when no one's looking.

    I also want to note that we are a no corn syrup house, but brown rice syrup works just as well. We can even buy it local. Can't wait to make these!

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  2. These little cakes sound amazing. And I love all the variations you have Given us. I want to try them all!

    Kel, you too with the Pumpkin Smoothies? Must be a Libra thing.

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  3. I think I am going to try pineapple with
    macadamian nuts - yum!

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  4. As soon as I saw pumpkin bread and mini bundt pan, I knew I had to bake these! I found my mini bundt pan on the top shelve of my pantry---right where I had put it about 10+ years ago. It had a "Tobys" sticker on the box and as near as I can recall, I bought it in a kitchen shop in Ventura, CA. I did use canola oil (I only have two kinds of oil--canola and olive.) and toasted pecans in the original recipe with banana, pumpkin and dates. The recipe made 6 mini cakes and 1 mini loaf pan. I made the confectioner's sugar glaze. The little cakes are very moist and very delicious!! Thanks!! Barbara

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