2013-10-29

These recipes are 3 favorites of mine from last Fall and I want to share them with you again because they are perfect for this time of year!



Mini Pumpkin Bundt cakes with Brown Sugar Glaze and a Caramel Pecan Acorn would be a tasty treat for anytime of day~ they would be wonderful for breakfast or brunch, with soup or salad, afternoon tea or dessert



They are a good choice for a hostess gift or gift from the kitchen too, just pop them in a cupcake paper and a cute box~



Topped with a Caramel Pecan “Acorn” they are quite irresistable!

Another favorite that is very impressive but deceptively easy is Pumpkin Ravioli with Brown Butter & Sage

You make a simple pumpkin puree filling with canned pumpkin and Parmesan cheese and use eggroll wrappers or wonton skins for the pasta

This  palette pleaser for Autumn nights is bound to be a big hit!  Makes an elegant appetizer for a seated dinner~

My favorite any time of year, these Butter Pecan Cupcakes with Maple Buttercream Frosting get dressed up for Halloween with purple icing and spooky sprinkles

They are perfect for a Witch’s Tea Party!

Here are the recipes:

MINI PUMPKIN CAKES with Brown Sugar Icing

for a printable version click here

adapted from Once Upon a Plate

Preheat oven to 325-degrees F

3/4 cups sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup canned pumpkin pie filling

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, or freshly ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

In a mixing bowl, combine the sugar, oil and eggs; mix well. Stir in pumpkin and and vanilla. Combine flour cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt; stir into liquid ingredients just until moistened. Portion into greased pan, filling cups just a bit more than 1/2 full.

Bake at 325 F for about 15 to 18 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.Cool on baking rack for 10 minutes before removing from pan.

All to cool completely before adding icing.

Brown Sugar Icing:

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

1 cup brown sugar (a little more if you like thicker icing)

1 tablespoon cream or half & half

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

pinch of salt

Melt butter over medium heat, stir in cream, salt and sugar. Stir well until blended. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Beat with a spoon until the icing cools and thickens a bit.  Place cakes on a plate or in cupcake papers. Spoon icing over tops, and allow to drip down sides.  Allow icing to firm up a little before covering loosely for storage, or ideally under a cake dome.  Makes 12

CARAMEL PECAN ACORNS

Microwave 3-4 caramels with a dash of cream until just melted. Dip largest end of pecan into caramel to look like the top of an acorn.

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PUMPKIN RAVIOLI with BROWN BUTTER & SAGE

for a printable version click here

1 cup  pumpkin pie filling

4 oz cream cheese

1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan

1 egg

32 won ton wrappers or 16 egg roll wrappers cut in half

butter

toasted pumpkin seeds or pine nuts for garnish, optional

shaved Parmesan

Lite Alfredo sauce [optional]  or browned butter with sage sauce

Beat the egg and then combine  the pumpkin pie filling with the cream cheese, Parmesan,  and S&P.

Spoon 1 T filling into center of 1 wontons, brush the edges with water and top with another wonton, pressing edges to seal.  Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment or wax paper.  Boil salted water and cook the ravioli in batches, til they float, about 3 min.  Remove with slotted spoon and put on a towel to drain. Keep warm in a large skillet with a little melted butter. Brown butter in a skillet by melting butter, stirring and add sage for a minute once the butter begins to brown.  Watch the butter carefully so that it doesn’t burn.  Makes 16 ravioli, 4 main dish servings or 8 appetizer servings

Season and garnish with pumpkin seeds and shaved parmesan and a drizzle of brown butter sage sauce.

Optional: top with sauteed or roasted vegetables such as asparagus and or zucchini, chopped cooked bacon or proscuitto, a drizzle of Alfredo sauce.

……

BUTTER PECAN MINI CUPCAKES  for a printable versionclick here

yield: 24 mini cupcakes

1/2 Cup (1 stick)  unsalted butter, room temp

1/2 Cup sugar

1  1/2 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs

1 Cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1  1/2 tsp.  baking powder

1/2 Cup finely chopped pecans

whole pecans to decorate

MAPLE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

1 Cup unsalted butter, room temp

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla bean paste

3/4 Cup Confectioners sugar, sifted

6 Tbsp. real maple syrup

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place a 24 well silicone mini muffin cup liner on a baking sheet. Conversely if you don’t have a silicone muffin pan you can use regular mini muffin pan with paper liners.

2. Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs and beat until smooth. Add the vanilla and stir. Combine the rest of the dry ingredients and whisk to combine. Add the flour mixture and beat to combine. Stir in the chopped pecans.

3. Fill the wells of the mini muffin cups with one Tablespoon of batter. Bake for about 11-12 minutes or until a wooden skewer comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool for about 2 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to continue cooling until completely cool.

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I hope you enjoy these tastes of fall!

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I will be joining these blogs for their fabulous parties:

Savvy Southern Style

The Style Sisters

Posed Perfection

Common Ground

Rattlebridge Farm

Jenny Evolution

The Tablescaper

Alderberry Hill

Uncommon Designs

The Dedicated House

The Gunny Sack

Memories by the Mile

Love Bakes Good Cakes

Easy Life

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