Categories
Breads Dessert Pumpkin

Fluffiest Pumpkin Spice Muffins with Maple Buttercream Frosting

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Maple Frosting
Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Maple Frosting

These are the lightest, fluffiest cupcakes ever. It must be the buttermilk, my new favorite baking ingredient.

Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
3 extra large eggs
1 can (15 ounce) pure pumpkin
1 cup buttermilk
Maple Frosting (recipe below)

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 24 muffin tons with paper and spray with cooking spray

2. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda,  salt,  cinnamon, allspice n nutmeg, and ginger in a medium bowl and set aside.  In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter for 3 minutes until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, and combine each one well.

3. In a separate medium bowl, stir together the buttermilk and the pumpkin.  In alternate batches, add the pumpkin and buttermilk mixture and the du ingredients to the butter mixture, combining well after each addition. Spoon batter into prepared cups, 3/4 of the way full.

4. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to cool completely.

Maple Frosting: Beat 1 1/2 sticks of softened butter. Add a large slug or two of Vermont Maple Syrup and 1 tsp of vanilla.  Beat until blended. Gradually add 3 1/2 cups of powdered sugar,  beating until creamy and fluffy. Add a tablespoon of milk if you need to soften the Frosting.

5. Put the Frosting into a piping bag or a ziplock bag with a corner cut off and pipe in circles into the cupcakes. Top with sprinkles.

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes
Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes
Categories
Breakfast/Brunch Dessert Pumpkin

Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake With Peekaboo Cream Cheese Filling

[pinterest]

Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese
Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese

Now that it almost October, I’m starting to go pumpkin crazy again. This month’s issue of Fine Cooking features Holiday Pumpkin Desserts on the cover, and I was inspired by a Bundt cake featured inside. I adapted this recipe from that one, pumping up the spice a bit and making other little tweaks. The result is a moist flavorful pumpkin cake that was a hit at the church coffee hour this morning. Bundt cakes are so rewarding because they always come out looking great and aren’t that difficult to pull off. Powdered sugar is the perfect finish and a lot easier than frosting!

The filling includes crystallized ginger mixed in with the cream cheese and sour cream. Don’t skip it. It makes it have real zing. To finely chop it, I just dumped it in this MiniPrep:

And to grind the nutmeg, I used a microplane grater, like this one:

Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese
Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese

 

Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake With Peekaboo Cream Cheese Filling
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Serves: 12
Ingredients
  • 12 oz. cream cheese, softened (1.5 packages of Philadelphia)
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ tsp. ground ginger
  • ¼ tsp. salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • ½ cup finely chopped crystallized ginger (I used a Cuisinart Mini Prep to chop mine)
  • 2¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp. salt
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 Tbsp. ground ginger
  • 1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp. freshl ground nutmeg (I use a microplane grater)
  • ½ tsp. ground cloves
  • 1 15-oz. can pure pumpkin purée
  • 1½ cups granulated sugar
  • ¾ cup vegetable oil
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
Instructions
  1. For the cream cheese filling:
  2. In a stand mixer beat the cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, ginger, and salt on medium speed until well combined.
  3. Add each egg, one at a time, beating after each addition until mixed thoroughly.
  4. Chop the crystallized ginger in a Cuisinart MiniPrep. It will glom together because it's sticky, but don't worry. Once added to the cream cheese mixture, it will distribute.
  5. Add the vanilla and the crystallized ginger to the cream cheese mixture and blend. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
  6. For the cake:
  7. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a Bundt pan generously with nonstick cooking spray.
  8. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
  9. In the bowl of the stand mixer, blend the pumpkin, sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.
  10. Add the ⅓ of the dry ingredients, and whisk until well blended. Then add another third and blend and repeat.
  11. Fill the prepared Bundt pan with about half of the cake batter.
  12. Stir the filling to distribute the chopped ginger.
  13. Create a trough in the batter with the back of a large spoon and then try to pour the cream cheese filling into the trough. Don't worry if it spills over.
  14. Spoon the remaining batter on top and spread to evenly over the top.
  15. Bake until a sharp knife inserted to the bottom comes out clean, about 50 to 60 minutes.
  16. Cool on a rack for 10 to 15 minutes and then invert onto a serving plate and remove the cake pan.
  17. Cool completely.
  18. You can refrigerate the plastic-wrap covered cake for up to 2 days.
  19. When ready to serve, dust the cake with confectioners’ sugar.

Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Filling
Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Filling
Categories
Breads Dessert Pumpkin Uncategorized

Spiced Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

[pinterest]

Pumpkin Spice Cupcake
Pumpkin Spice Cupcake (photo by Shimelle Laine)

Fall is my favorite time of year and these cupcakes are just what I need to get in the mood. The shadows are lengthening and out here in San Francisco, the air is more humid than usual and it’s warmer. When I lived on the East Coast, the arrival of Fall was all about feeling a cold nip in the air. Here in San Francisco where the summers are freezing, it’s quite the opposite. The weather heats up as the leaves are turning brown.

Spiced Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Perfect for a Halloween Party
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Serves: 24
Ingredients
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup dark brown sugar, packed firmly
  • ⅓ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1½ tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • ½ tsp ground nutmeg
  • ¼ tsp ground cloves
  • pinch of salt
  • ½ cup milk
  • 1½ cups pure pumpkin puree
  • For the frosting:
  • 1 package cream cheese
  • 1½ sticks (12 Tbsp) unsalted butter
  • ⅔ cup light brown sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 2 tsp cinnamon, plus extra for garnish
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Line cupcake tray (24) with paper liners.
  2. In a standing mixer, cream the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar on high speed until fluffy.
  3. Add eggs and vanilla and mix at a medium speed until well blended.
  4. In a separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients. Add about a third of the dry ingredients to wet, alternating with the milk, until all are incorporated. Add pumpkin puree and mix well.
  5. Fill cupcakes two-thirds full and bake for 18 – 22 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
  6. Remove from oven and let stand for a couple of minutes. Then remove from muffin tin and let cool completely.
  7. To make the frosting:
  8. Let the cream cheese and butter soften before creaming them together on high speed with a mixer. Cream in the sugar, vanilla and cinnamon until smooth and light. Chill in the fridge overnight (or at least for a few hours) to let it set.
  9. Spread on cupcakes and garnish with a pinch of cinnamon.

 

Categories
Breads Breakfast/Brunch Dessert Pumpkin Uncategorized

Pumpkin Coffee Cake Wreath with Pumpkin-Spiced Cream Cheese Filling

[pinterest]

Pumpkin Coffee Cake Wreath
Pumpkin Coffee Cake Wreath

I have been having so much fun baking with yeast this month. Today is no exception. I decided I wanted to make a coffee cake type pastry with icing and filling that would feature fall pumpkin flavors. I grew up with Entenmann’s pastries from the grocery store, and I was looking to emulate their various Danish rings with this recipe.

I ended up constructing this wreath in two ways. One way was a traditional circle. For the other, I cut little slits all the way around before baking it, and the wring came out a little more decorative – though less tidy. Totally up to you for how to make yours, but the recipe does make 2 loaves, so play with it!

Pumpkin Wreath without Slits
Pumpkin WreathWithout Slits
Pumpkin Wreath
Pumpkin Wreath Sliced Open

The recipe calls for 2 rises. One for the dough and then another one once the dough is stuffed. If you want to refrigerate your dough after stuffing it, you can refrigerate it overnight, then pull it out, let it come to room temperature, rise and then bake it so it comes out of the oven warm just in time for brunch.

I kept this dish nut free because of allergy concerns, but sliced almonds or pecans are a great addition to the topping.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Filling
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Filling

5.0 from 2 reviews
Pumpkin Coffee Cake Wreath with Pumpkin-Spiced Cream Cheese Filling
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Fall pumpkin flavors infuse this danish ring with yumminess
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert, Brunch Pastry
Serves: 20
Ingredients
  • 1 package dry yeast (2¼ tsp)
  • ¼ cup warm water
  • 3½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cups canned pure pumpkin
  • ½ cup milk
  • ¼ cup butter, melted
  • 1 Tbsp sugar
  • 1¼ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp ground nutmeg
  • ½ tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp ground cloves
  • ---
  • 2 8oz packages cream cheese
  • ½ cup canned pure pumpkin
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 Tbsp butter softened
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • ---
  • 1 Tbsp butter, melted
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • ---
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 Tbsp milk
  • ¼ tsp vanilla
Instructions
  1. Dissolve the yeast in warm water in a mug and cover with a plate. Set aside for 5 minutes. When you lift the plate, it should be foamy. If it's not foamy, it means that the yeast is no longer active and you'll have to start over with new yeast.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, using the dough hook, combine 3 cups of the flour, the pumpkin, milk, melted butter, sugar, salt, nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon and cloves. Once it has taken on a crumbly texture, add the water and yeast mixture and continue mixing with the dough hook until a ball forms. Scrape the sides as necessary to ensure complete mixing. If the dough is sticky and not well-formed, add a Tbsp or so of flour and continue kneading with the dough hook. Knead for 3 minutes on medium speed, adding flour to ensure a springy, well-formed ball.
  3. Add a tsp of oil to the bowl and knead for 30 seconds. Remove bowl and cover with towel. Set in a warm place and let rise for 45 minutes to an hour until doubled.
  4. After the dough has risen, punch it down and turn it out onto a floured cutting board. Let rest for 5 minutes, then cut in half.
  5. To prepare the filling, go back to your stand mixer (wash that bowl), but this time you will use the wire whisk to beat at high speed, the cream cheese, pumpkin, sugar, butter, and cinnamon. Beat for 2 minutes until fluffy.
  6. Now roll out one ball of dough into a flat rectangle that is about 10x12 inches in size. Spread the cream cheese mixture over the dough leaving space around the edges. The cream cheese will be about ¼ inch thick. Now roll the long side of the dough up to make a tube. Bend the tube into a circle and press the ends together firmly. If you'd like to try cutting slits in the wreath, go ahead and do so. Repeat with the other ball of dough. You will have left over cream cheese mixture. It can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and used as icing on cupcakes.
  7. Transfer the rings to a cookie sheet or jelly roll pan sprayed lightly with cooking spray. Cover with a cloth and set in a warm place. Allow them to rise for 45 minutes. (Alternatively, you could cover them in plastic and refrigerate them over night before allowing them to come to room temperature and to rise the next morning)
  8. Preheat the oven to 375˚F.
  9. Using a spoon, spread melted butter over the tops of both rings. Use the back of the spoon to coat them evenly. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top of each ring. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool on the baking sheet before transferring them to platters.
  10. Once the rings are cooled, make the icing by stirring together the sugar, milk and vanilla in a bowl with a fork or a wire whisk. If the icing is not going to hold the shape of its drizzle, add more sugar to thicken. Drizzle onto the rings and allow the icing to set for 5-10 minutes before serving.

 

Pumpkin Coffee Cake
Pumpkin Coffee Cake
Categories
Breads Breakfast/Brunch Dessert Pumpkin Uncategorized

Pumpkin Pull-Apart Cinnamon Buns

Pumpkin Pull-Apart Cinnamon Buns
Pumpkin Pull-Apart Cinnamon Buns

The basis for these Pumpkin Pull-Apart Cinnamon Buns comes from a recipe I did during an earlier Pumpkin recipe marathon, when I featured Pumpkin Yeast Rolls. For this recipe, you start by making the dough for the Pumpkin Yeast Rolls and then form smaller balls to dip in melted butter and a sugary cinnamon mixture. Then you mush them into a bundt cake pan for baking. It’s a day’s project, but no one part of the recipe is that difficult, particularly if you have a Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer, which does most of the work. These are truly to-die-for. I took them into work and everyone went crazy for them! The pumpkin flavor in the rolls is subtle, so you could make them this way all year long.

Pumpkin Pull-Apart Cinnamon Buns
Pumpkin Pull-Apart Cinnamon Buns

5.0 from 1 reviews
Pumpkin Pull-Apart Cinnamon Buns
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Serves: 20
Ingredients
  • 1 package active dry yeast
  • 2 Tbsp brown sugar
  • ¾ cup warm milk
  • 6+ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ¾ cup unsalted cold butter, cut into small pieces
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 (15 oz) can of puréed pumpkin
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
  • ¼ tsp ground cloves
  • Another Tbsp of melted butter
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 3 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp nutmeg
  • 1 cup butter, melted
  • 1 cup confectioner's sugar
  • 1½ Tbsp milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
  1. In a coffee cup, mix the brown sugar, yeast and warm milk. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes white becomes foamy and you prepare the flour.
  2. In the mixing bowl of your stand mixer with the wire whip attached, add 5 cups of the flour and the salt. Set the mixer on Level 2 and add the pieces of butter, one at a time, mixing all the time. Mix until the flour becomes course.
  3. Add the egg and continue mixing until well blended.
  4. Change the attachment to the flat beater and add the pumpkin and spices, mixing gently until incorporated.
  5. Change the attachment again, now to the dough hook. Dump in the cup full of yeast, milk, and brown sugar. Kneading on Level 2 for about 8 minutes, watch as a ball of dough forms. Have a cup of flour at the ready to add 1-2 Tbsp at a time until dough takes on a smooth, springy form that's not sticky. After you've added enough of the flour, let the dough hook continue kneading until the 8 minutes is done.
  6. Spray a large bowl with nonstick cooking spray. From the dough into a big ball and place in the bowl. Brush melted butter over the ball of the dough. Cover with a dish towel and let rise for about an hour. The dough should double in size.
  7. In the meantime, make your cinnamon-sugar dip by mixing together in a medium bowl, the sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
  8. Preheat the oven to 350˚F and spray a Bundt cake pan with cooking spray.
  9. Melt the butter in a microwave safe bowl and set aside.
  10. Turn the dough out onto a large cutting board and cut the big ball in half. Continue cutting the balls in half until you get down to a size that is about the size of a golf ball. Roll the dough between your fingers so that it forms a little perfect ball. Dip into the melted butter, then roll in the sugar mixture and place in the bottom of a bundt cake pan. Continue rolling, dipping and dredging until all of the little sugar-coated balls of dough are pressed into the bundt cake pan.
  11. Bake at 350˚F for about 35 minutes.
  12. Allow to cool for about 10-15 minutes before turning the bundt cake out onto your serving plate.
  13. With a fork, mix together the confectioner's sugar, milk and vanilla until smooth. Keep adding sugar until mixture coats the back of a spoon and just drips down slowly. Drizzle over the top of the sticky buns and allows to drip down the sides.
  14. Serve warm.

 

Pumpkin Pull-Apart Cinnamon Buns
Pumpkin Pull-Apart Cinnamon Buns


Categories
Appetizers Breads Breakfast/Brunch Pumpkin

Pumpkin Zucchini Bread

Pumpkin Zucchini Bread
Pumpkin Zucchini Bread

The most popular post on this blog, hands down, is My Ultimate Pumpkin Bread post, and one of my personal favorites is my Zucchini Bread post, so now that it’s October, I thought, why not do a mashup? The spices for pumpkin and zucchini bread are so similar, it seems like a marriage made in heaven. And, I’ve been getting a lot of zucchini in my weekly produce box from Full Circle lately.

This version came out perfectly moist. Make sure you squeeze the excess water out of your shredded zucchini. Just press between paper towels before adding to the mixture. I used this kind of grater to prepare the zucchini:

Play with the sugar to meet your tastes. I’ve tried it with 2 cups and it’s perfect for folks who don’t like their quick breads too sweet. I prefer it with 2 1/2 or even 3 cups of sugar.

This recipe makes 2 loaves!

Pumpkin Zucchini Bread
Pumpkin Zucchini Bread

Pumpkin Zucchini Bread
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
My two favorite quick breads - in one!
Author:
Recipe type: Bread
Serves: 20
Ingredients
  • 3 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 3 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • ⅛ tsp ground cloves
  • ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
  • 2½ cups granulated sugar
  • 2 sticks butter, softened
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1½ cups grated zucchini (about 2 medium zucchini)
  • 1 15 oz can of pureed pure pumpkin
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350˚F and spray 2 9-inch loaf pans with cooking spray.
  2. Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl (including the sugar).
  3. In the bowl of a large standup mixer, cream the butter. Then add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until fully incorporated. Add the milk and beat until mixed. Add the pumpkin and zucchini and mix on medium until blended.
  4. Take bowl away from standup mixer. Add bowl of dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until all is moistened. Do not overmix.
  5. Bake for 45 - 60 minutes or until top is golden brown and a knife inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before removing from the pan.

 

Starbucks® K-Cup® Packs
Categories
Dessert Pumpkin Uncategorized

Hazelnut Pumpkin Bars

Hazelnut Pumpkin Bars
Hazelnut Pumpkin Bars

It’s the 4th anniversary of StreamingGourmet today! Celebrate by watching some classic pumpkin and Halloween videos in StreamingGourmet’s video collections.

It’s time for another pumpkin blogging binge at StreamingGourmet. You see, I’m a little pumpkin obsessed and even more, Halloween obsessed, so this won’t be the first time I publish a slew of pumpkin recipes in October. There’s always something new to try with pumpkin, so check back often over the next few weeks for pumpkin recipes that are sweet, savory and everything in between.

This time, I’m starting with pumpkin bars. There is a pumpkin bar recipe that has truly made the internet rounds, usually with pecans. I’ve done some tweaking here to make these my own, including swapping in hazelnuts for pecans. You might also like them with a dolup of whipped cream on top or perhaps with a serving of ice cream. The trick to getting these right is to make sure you give the bars time to set before sprinkling the nut mixture on top. Otherwise, the nuts will just sink to the bottom.

In this recipe, you’ll need to chop hazelnuts. I found my little mini-prep Cuisinart to be a champ. Click through to find it on Amazon:

 

Hazelnut Pumpkin Bars
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
It's like pumpkin pie in a bar.
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Serves: 18-21
Ingredients
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup old-fashioned oats
  • ½ cup packed brown sugar
  • ½ cup butter, softened
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 (15 oz.) cans Pure Pumpkin
  • 2 (12 oz.) cans Evaporated Milk
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
  • ¼ tsp ground cloves
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ cup hazelnuts, chopped
  • ¼ cup packed brown sugar
  • 2 Tbsp butter, softened
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
  2. Combine flour, oats, and brown sugar in a medium bowl. Cut in the butter and mix until crumbly. Press into the bottom of an ungreased 13 x 9-inch baking pan.
  3. Bake for 15 minutes.
  4. In the bowl of a standup mixer, beat together the granulated sugar, pumpkin, evaporated milk, eggs and spices. Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes until frothy. Pour over crust.
  5. Bake for 25 minutes. While the bars are baking, toast the hazelnuts in a dry sauté pan over medium heat until they start to turn dark brown. Toss them around to ensure they are toasted on all sides. Chop hazelnuts in a small food processor. Combine chopped hazelnuts and brown sugar in small bowl. Cut in the butter and mix until crumbly. Sprinkle hazelnut topping over filling. Continue baking for 15 to 25 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars.

Hazelnut Pumpkin Bars
Hazelnut Pumpkin Bars
Starbucks
Categories
Dessert Uncategorized Video How-to

Pumpkin Ricotta Cheesecake for an Elegant Thanksgiving Dinner Finale

Pumpkin Ricotta Cheesecake
Pumpkin Ricotta Cheesecake

Looking for an elegant alternative to pumpkin pie? Want to enjoy the holidays without ruining your waistline? I have the recipe for you and a book to recommend. Marisa Churchill, a contestant on Season 2 of Top Chef and San Francisco resident, has recently published an inspired collection of low calorie desserts, called, Sweet & Skinny: 100 Recipes for Enjoying Life’s Sweeter Side Without Tipping the Scales.
Click on the book to purchase it at Amazon.com.

I recently spent an evening with her since we share a mutual friend, and she told me that the Pumpkin Ricotta Cheesecake in the book is one of her favorites, so I made it for my annual Halloween Dinner Party (more recipes to follow from that event). It was divine. The flavor of the cheesecake is subtle and sophisticated. It’s not too sweet, but it still retains the yummy flavors reminiscent of your favorite pumpkin desserts.

Marisa Churchill

The book is full of fabulous recipes and Marisa really takes the time to explain the techniques. She provides sugar-free alternatives for each dessert as well as all of the nutritional information you need to stay on track (calories, grams of fat, etc.) and stay healthy. Get this book in time for the holidays! There are lots of cookie recipes to satisfy all of your Christmas cookie-baking needs!

Click here to Follow Marisa on Twitter.

Like Marisa Churchill’s page on facebook.

Pumpkin Ricotta Cheesecake
Serves 12
From the book, Sweet & Skinny: 100 Recipes for Enjoying Life’s Sweeter Side Without Tipping the Scales

Ingredients

For the Crust
Nonstick pan spray
6 oz honey graham crackers (about 10 cookie sheets)
2 Tbsp 1% or 2% milk

For the Cheesecake
8 oz (1 cup) reduced-fat Kraft cream cheese
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup nonfat sour cream, at room temperature
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 egg whites from large eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2/3 cup canned pumpkin puree
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp reduced-fat ricotta cheese
2 Tbsp large pecan pieces, toasted for garnish (I used hazelnuts)
2 Tbsp pomegranate seeds for garnish

Method

For the crust

1. Coat 9-inch springform pan with pan spray. Break up the graham crackers and process them in a food processor until they are reduced to very fine crumbs. Add the milk and process for 30 seconds, or until the crumbs hold together when you squeeze them in your fist.

2. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan. Press the crumbs firmly over the bottom and slightly up the sides of the pan, using your finger-tips to compress them.

For the cheesecake

1. Preheat the oven to 325˚F with a rack in the lower third of the oven.

2. Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and sugar on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes, until it is completely smooth and well blended. (If using a standing mixer, use the paddle attachment). Add the sour cream, eggs, egg whites, and vanilla; mix for 2 to 3 minutes longer to blend well. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, salt, and cloves and mix for 1 minute longer. Add the ricotta and mix just until it is incorporated.

3. Pour the batter over the crust and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until the cheesecake jiggles only slightly in the center when you gently shake the pan. (If the cheesecake browns too quickly or begins to crack, tent a piece of aluminum foil over the top, without touching the filling, for the remaining baking time).

4. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let it cool for 1 hour. Then run a knife around the edge of the pan if needed to loosen the cheesecake, remove the outer pan ring, and transfer the cake, on its base, to a serving plate. Cover the cake loosely with plastic film and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.

To serve: Cut the cheesecake into 12 wedges, and garnish them with the toasted pecans and pomegranate seeds.

Refrigerate any leftover cheesecake, tightly covered, for up to 3 days.

Nutritional Information:
Calories per serving: 221
Grams of fat: 9.5g

Watch Marisa whip up a Chocolate Mousse with Olive and Sea Salt:

Categories
Appetizers Vegetarian

Halloween Party Starter: Jack O’Lantern Puking Guacamole

[pinterest]

Halloween Party Dish

Halloween = parties for me, so I’m always on the lookout for inspiring buffet food. I can’t remember where I first saw the idea of having guacamole come out of pumpkin as if the Jack O’Lantern is throwing up, but I thought it was hilarious. If you know the source, please tell me and I will attribute it. **Update: I first read it in the book, Extreme Halloween: The Ultimate Guide to Making Halloween Scary Again by, Tom Nardone. Check out his website, ExtremePumpkins.com. **

The recipe for guacamole here is a little different than what you might usually see. Here, it is prepared the Guatemalan way (our Guatemalan friend showed me how to do it). She leaves the avocado in big chunks and chops the tomatoes in large cubes. This approach seemed particularly appropriate for the presentation and turned out to lend great flavor. Now when I make guacamole at home, I always do it this way. Luckily, the pumpkin vomiting guacamole doesn’t inspire any real vomit.

Guacamole the Guatemalan Way
 
With the avocado in big chunks, this guacamole really stands out and is perfect for the puking pumpkin rendition.
Author:
Recipe type: Appetizer
Cuisine: Guatemalan
Serves: 8-10
Ingredients
  • 2 ripe but not mushy avocados, chopped in large cubes
  • 1 medium tomato, chopped in fairly large chunks
  • ¼ cup finely chopped red onion
  • 1 fresh green chile, chopped
  • ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 1 tsp salt
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 1 Bag of Multicolored Tortilla Chips
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, gently toss (so as not to mush the avocado), the avocado, tomato, red onion, green chile, cilantro, salt and lime juice. Leave the pit in until you are ready to transfer to the platter. Chill in the fridge until 15 minutes before guests arrive.
  2. For the presentation: Carve a small pumpkin to have a face that looks like it is puking. Haha. Place it on a large platter with a candle inside. Spoon the guacamole onto the platter in front of the jack o'lantern's face. Distribute multi-colored tortilla chips around the perimeter of the guacamole. Enjoy! Happy Halloween!

 

Categories
Breads Breakfast/Brunch Dessert Pumpkin Uncategorized

The Best Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

[pinterest]

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cupcakes
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

There’s nothing likely whipping up a little quick bread (muffin, cupcake, bread, whatever) to satisfy the baking need. Mix the wet ingredients. Mix the dry ingredients. Put them together without overmixing, bake and voila! A sweet, sumptuous little treat in no time.

October = pumpkin for me, in case you didn’t know. Psst. There are like 40 pumpkin recipes in this blog. I’ve done pumpkin-chocolate chip cookies before, but never pumpkin chocolate chip muffins (or cupcakes as the case may be). Some people love the combo, and I am one of them. These are equally good with or without the icing, I think. So if you can’t be bothered with the icing, don’t be!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

 

The Best Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Yummy pumpkin chocolate chip cupcakes - perfect for a Halloween party.
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Serves: 18-20
Ingredients
  • 4 eggs
  • 1½ cups granulated sugar
  • ½ cup light brown sugar
  • 2 cups canned pure pumpkin
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ground nutmeg
  • pinch ground cloves
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • For the frosting:
  • 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
  • ¼ cup butter, softened
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups confectioners' sugar
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350˚F. Prepare muffin tins by either spraying them with cooking spray or lining them with paper liners.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the eggs, white sugar, brown sugar, pumpkin, vanilla extract, and vegetable oil. Set aside.
  3. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt.
  4. In three batches, add the flour to the wet ingredients and stir to incorporate. Don't overmix, but incorporate thoroughly.
  5. Fold in the chocolate chips. Fill muffin cups at least ¾ of the way full. I like to create a big muffin top, so I fill them almost all the way.
  6. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown on top and a knife inserted comes out clean. If you have to have two layers of tins in your oven, rotate them halfway through the cooking time for even baking.
  7. To make the icing:
  8. While the muffins are baking, you can make the icing. With an electric hand mixer, cream together the cream cheese, butter, vanilla and confectioner's sugar until completely smooth, Allow to chill if need be.
  9. To ice the cupcakes:
  10. Once the cupcakes come out of the oven, they will need to cool before you can ice them. Once they are cooled, you can fill a pastry bag with your icing and pipe it out into large concentric circles.

 

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cupcakes
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