Let’s Have More Cake
Can we ever have too much cake, especially at a holiday party?
In addition to the three recipes for pumpkin cake that ran in the Journal Nov. 17, here’s two more.
Pumpkin cranberry spice cake is both light and easy. It can be ready to go into the oven in 15 minutes, and it makes 16 servings. Each has just 6 grams of fat and 205 calories. This recipe ran in the Winston-Salem Journal last fall, but it comes out so well I think it’s worth reprinting.
Also impressive is a pumpkin layer cake with caramel icing and a caramel-nut filling. It’s sweet, and it’s a bit of work. But it’s definitely worth it. Just read the reviews at epicurious.com.
Pumpkin-Cranberry Spice Cake
Recipe from The Associated Press.
This recipe is relatively low in fat, but still stays moist because of the pumpkin. The use of some whole-wheat flour also makes this higher in whole grains than most cakes. Also, a little powdered sugar on top saves a lot of calories compared to icing. For a fancier finish, you can make a glaze by whisking together 2 tablespoons of orange juice, ½ teaspoon orange zest and 1¼ to 1½ cups powdered sugar. Drizzle the glaze over the cake just before serving.
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup white whole-wheat flour
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon nutmeg
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup sugar
⅓ cup canola oil
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 15-ounce can of pumpkin
2 teaspoons grated orange zest
2 tablespoons orange juice
2 tablespoons water
1 cup dried cranberries
Powdered sugar, for dusting
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a large Bundt pan with cooking spray or brush with oil. Add a small amount of granulated sugar and turn the pan to coat the inside, discarding any excess.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together both flours, the cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. In a large bowl, combine the sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer on high until the mixture is thick and pale, about 3 minutes. Add the pumpkin, orange zest and juice, and water. Beat on low until smooth.
4. Sift the dry ingredients on top of the pumpkin mixture and stir just until combined. Stir in the cranberries.
5. Using a rubber spatula, scrape the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted at the center comes out clean. Turn the cake out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
6. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.
Makes 16 servings.
Nutrition information for one serving (values are rounded) 205 calories; 54 calories from fat; 6 g fat (1 gram saturated; 0 g trans fats); 48 mg cholesterol; 37 g carbohydrate; 4 g protein; 3 g fiber; 311 mg sodium.
Spiced Pumpkin Cake
With Caramel Icing
Recipe from The Bon Appetit Cookbook (Wiley, 2006). This caramel icing is definitely on the sweet side, so be sure you’re feeding it to people who have a serious sweet tooth. For an icing and filling that’s less sweet, a standard cream-cheese icing works great. The caramel icing can be hard to work with, but don’t worry if it runs down the sides of the cake and puddles; that will give the cake a glazed look and it will still be delicious. Chilling the icing as directed to thicken it will help avoid puddling.
Cake:
3 cups sifted cake flour (sifted, then measured)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
2 cups sugar
1 cup canola or vegetable oil
4 large eggs
1 15-ounce can pure pumpkin
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Icing and Filling:
½ cup dark rum
6 tablespoons raisins
6 tablespoons dried sweetened cranberries
½ cup heavy whipping cream
6 ounce cream cheese, cut into small pieces, room temperature
2 1/4 cups sugar
2/3 cup water
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into ½ -inch cubes
1½ cups walnuts, toasted, chopped, divided use
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
Vanilla ice cream
1. For the cake, position rack in center of oven and heat to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two, 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1½-inch-high sides. Sift first 8 ingredients into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and oil in large bowl until well blended, about 2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add pumpkin and vanilla; beat until blended. Gradually add dry ingredients; beat just until incorporated. Divide batter between prepared pans; smooth top with spatula.
2. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool completely in pans on racks. Run small knife around cakes to loosen. Turn cakes out onto racks.
3. For icing and filling, stir rum, raisins, and dried cranberries in small saucepan over low heat just until warm, about 1 minute. Remove from heat; let stand 30 minutes. Drain, reserving rum and fruit separately.
4. Whisk whipping cream and cream cheese in small bowl until smooth. Combine sugar and ⅔ cup water in heavy, medium saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to high; boil without stirring until syrup is deep amber color, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with pastry brush dipped in water and swirling pan, about 10 minutes. Slowly and carefully whisk in cream-cheese mixture. (Caramel mixture will bubble vigorously.) Add butter; whisk until mixture is smooth, about 1 minute. Remove from heat; cool caramel icing 10 minutes, whisking occasionally.
5. Pour ¾ cup warm caramel icing mixture into bowl. Mix in half of reserved dried-fruit mixture, 1 cup of the walnuts and the grated orange peel. Place one cake layer on 8-inch-diameter tart pan bottom or cardboard round. Brush top of cake with half of reserved rum. Spread caramel-nut filling over, leaving ½-inch plain border at edges. Top with second cake layer, flat side down; press to adhere. Brush top of cake with remaining rum; let stand 10 minutes to allow rum to soak in.
6. Pour generous ½ cup warm caramel icing onto cake and, if necessary, spread over top with offset spatula to cover. Refrigerate cake and the remaining caramel icing until icing is firm enough to spread and to adhere to sides of cake, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour. (You must refrigerate the remaining icing to get it thick enough to spread.)
7. Transfer ¾ cup chilled icing to small bowl and chill for use as a sauce. Using offset spatula, spread remaining 1 cup chilled icing evenly over sides of cake to cover. Mix remaining dried fruit mixture and remaining ½ cup walnuts in another small bowl. Sprinkle mixture in 1-inch-wide border around top edge of cake. Cover cake with cake dome and chill at least 6 hours. (Can be made two days ahead. Keep cake and caramel icing for sauce chilled separately.)
8. Place cake on platter. Rewarm ¾ cup icing (sauce) over low heat just until pourable. Serve cake cold with ice cream and warm caramel sauce.
Makes 10 to 12 servings.
