Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Brown Butter Buttercream

I’ll be honest- I don’t have a clue how these little cake-like sandwich treats got their name, but if you’ve never had a whoopie pie, it’s time to try. Today’s recipe, pumpkin whoopie pies, are fluffy and moist desserts filled with the most decadent brown butter buttercream. In just a few minutes, you can have a spiced fall treat that, in my opinion, is a welcome reprieve from all of November’s pies.

So, first off, Happy Sunday! In my house, we’re edging off a busy week full of all sorts of random things: work deadlines, book promotions, a football game, and more. I’m also the crazy lady who likes to finish her Christmas shopping in November (please don’t judge me), so I’ve also been unwrapping UPS boxes and wrapping Christmas gifts like it’s my 9-5. Sidenote: if you’re at all interested in a few fun gift guide, stay tuned for my next post- it’s going to be LOADED.

On a book note, we’re ONE MONTH out! My first book, Her Daily Bread, is coming out on December 14th, and I am neck-deep in anticipation, nerves, and random release stuff. Telelphone interviews? Doing them. Snagging parters for giveaways? Doing that too. Planning Instagram Live videos with other food bloggers? Yup, that too. I am feeling a bit like a fish out of water, but a really grateful one at that. If you haven’t read about my book, I hope you’ll pop over to my book page to at least check it out!

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

With so much going on, I knew I wanted to share a simple treat that was right for the times. Surely I’m not the only one in need of a little easy dessert? These pumpkin whoopie pies have all the fall flavors these weeks call for but without all the effort and time of a pie. Here, brown sugar, pumpkin, and spice cookies have an easy brown butter buttercream filling that is to die for. These treats taste like little pumpkin cupcakes (but in cookie form!) and make for an excellent pick-up treat to share with holiday guests. Let me tell you how to make them!

We start by making the batter. Brown sugar, egg, oil, and pumpkin puree are stirred together until smooth. Next, flour, leavening, and loads of pumpkin pie spice are added to the mix. A small cookie scoop is a great tool to dollop the batter onto prepared sheet pans before the little rounds get baked until tiny fluffy cakes.

Once cool, you can begin the filling for these pumpkin whoopie pies. A small bit of butter is browned and cooled before being creamed until more butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla. If you’re new to the brown butter game, be sure to check out my tutorial on how to make brown butter– it will help simplify the process for you. Once smooth and fluffy, the buttercream is piped in-between two cookies before enjoying. And just like that, you have a fun and spiced fall treat that everyone will love. Voila!

These pumpkin whoopie pies are a yummy treats that offer major bang for your effort in the kitchen. Give them a try and let me know what you think! Happy Sunday and Happy Baking!

If you like these pumpkin whoopie pies, you should try:

Bourbon Brown Butter Snickerdoodles
Browned Butter Cake with Candied Pecans
Pecan Scones with Brown Butter Glaze
Pumpkin Layer Cake
Pumpkin Pancakes

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Brown Butter Buttercream

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

These pumpkin whoopie pies are soft, cake-like sandwich cookies filled with a a brown butter buttercream!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 15
Cook Time: 15
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 20
Category: dessert

Ingredients

For the pies:

½ cup vegetable oil
1 cup light brown sugar
¾ cup pumpkin puree
1 large egg
1–1/2 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

For the buttercream filling

¾ cup unsalted butter, divided and at room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
Milk, as needed

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Instructions

To prepare the pies:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a large bowl, stir together the oil and brown sugar. Add the pumpkin and egg, stirring until smooth and combined. Add the dry ingredients- flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and pumpkin pie spice, stirring gently just until combined. Use a small cookie scoop to scoop out rounds of batter 2” apart on the prepared baking sheets. If your rounds of batter turn out wonky, you can use a slightly wet finger to nudge or smooth the batter into place. Bake them one at a time for about 10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool completely prior to filling.

To prepare the filling:

Add ¼ cup of chopped butter into a small saucepan over medium heat. Once the butter has melted begin to stir constantly while you brown the butter. You’ll begin to notice golden flecks at the bottom of the pan and the butter will become nutty and fragrant. Stir and cook just until the butter has become an amber-hued mixture and then pour into a large mixing bowl away from the heat. Add the remaining ½ cup softened butter and stir gently to combine. Set the mixture aside until it has settled to room temperature again.
Once ready, use a hand mixer to cream the butter until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt, stirring to combine. Add just enough milk, likely a tablespoon or two, to thin the buttercream out to a smooth piping consistency. Spoon the buttercream into a piping bag fitted with a round tip or a freezer Ziploc bag with the end snipped off. Pipe dollops of buttercream onto half of the cookies and sandwich the filling with a second cookie. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Swirl Bread

1 Comment / Bread

It’s October, which means I officially don’t feel bad about pushing pumpkin baked goods. I know some of you fall into the uber-cozy category of humans that thinks things like pumpkin spice lattes, fluffy scarves, fleece socks, and jewel tones are appropriate all year long, but I’ve been holding back on this recipe for weeks in an attempt to salvage the sanity of those who can only tolerate fall-ish stuff sometime after Labor Day. Today’s recipe, this pumpkin swirl bread, certainly falls into the cozy category, and it makes for an excellent baking challenge for those of you who might be willing to roll up your sleeves and attempt a slightly more challenging baked treat. Let me tell you how to make it!

Pumpkin Swirl Bread by Wood and Spoon blog. This is a fluffy pumpkin yeast bread swirled with brown sugar and cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice. The bread is fragrant and works wonderfully for morning toast. Learn how to make a fall sandwich or yeast bread and how simple it is to add sugar to bread dough on thewoodandspoon.com

This pumpkin swirl bread is a love child of two of my favorite recipes: pumpkin yeast bread and cinnamon swirl bread. For years, cinnamon toast has been a go-to breakfast favorite in my house, and I decided it was high time we had a fall alternative for our mornings. The dough for this tender bread has pumpkin purée, sweet maple syrup, and flavored pumpkin pie spice. The center is a swirl of cinnamon and brown sugar- just enough to add a smidge of flavor and that beautiful inner spiral, but not so much that it becomes overpowering. I like to serve slices warm and toasted with salted butter and a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar.

How to Make Swirl Bread

To make the bread, we start with the dough. Active dry yeast dissolved in lukewarm water before we add in the remaining liquid ingredients: milk, maple syrup, oil, and pumpkin purée. Once combined, we add in the flour, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. The dough is stirred and kneaded in a stand mixer until stretchy and slightly tacky.

After its first rise, we roll out the dough and layer in the filling: first an egg wash, then a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar. The dough is rolled tight into a loaf and allowed to rise a second time in a prepared loaf pan. After baking, the loaves are golden brown and fragrant with yummy autumnal spice!

This pumpkin swirl bread is a great weekend baking challenge. Bonus: it makes two loaves, so you can keep one for yourself and share the second with someone else! A win-win for everyone! Give this recipe a try and let me know what you think. Happy Baking!

If you like this pumpkin swirl bread, you should try:

Pumpkin Yeast Bread
Cinnamon Swirl Bread
Pumpkin Pull-Apart Bread
Raisin Swirl Bread
Pumpkin Pancakes

Pumpkin Swirl Bread

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 25
Cook Time: 35
Total Time: 240
Yield: 2 Loaves
Category: Bread

Ingredients

For the bread dough:

½ cup (120 mL) warm (not hot) water
2–1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 cup (240 mL) milk, room temperature (I use whole)
¼ cup (60 mL) maple syrup
2 tablespoons oil (I use canola)
1 cup (225 gm) pumpkin puree
5 cups (650 gm) all-purpose flour
1–1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

For the filling:

1 large egg
6 tablespoons (75 gm) sugar
2–1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 tablespoon flour

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Instructions

To prepare the dough:

Pour the warm water into the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast over top of it. Allow the yeast to dissolve, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the milk, maple syrup, and oil. Add the pumpkin puree and stir to combine. Add two cups of flour, the salt, and the pumpkin pie spice to the wet ingredients and stir until well integrated. Add an additional 2-1/2 cups of flour and, using the dough hook, knead the bread on medium speed for about 5 minutes or until the bread starts to become stretchy. Add additional flour to the bowl during the kneading process to get the dough the right texture. You are looking for a tacky, stretchy dough.
Grease a large bowl and place the dough in it, covered with a piece of plastic wrap, to rise until doubled in size, about 1-1/2 hours. If the dough seems to have a hard time rising, move the bowl to a slightly warmer area of the kitchen. I like to let mine rise next to a warm oven.

To prepare the filling:

Once risen, remove dough from bowl and separate into two equal pieces. Roll each sheet of dough on a lightly greased work surface into a 6”x20” rectangle. Whisk the egg with 2 teaspoons of water and brush this wash over the surface of each sheet of dough. Reserve the extra wash.
Combine the cinnamon, sugar, and flour in a small bowl and sprinkle the mixture evenly over the surface of each piece of dough.
Starting at one of the narrow ends, roll the dough snug up the length of the long ends of the rectangle until you’re left with a tube-shaped roll of dough. Pinch the ends to seal the dough closed. Place each loaf roll into their own greased loaf pan (8.5″ X 4.5″ X 2.75″). Cover with Saran wrap and allow to rise again for about 1 hour, or until the dough has risen one inch over the top of the pan. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Once risen, brush a thin layer of wash over the tops of each loaf. Put the loaves into the oven and immediately lower the temperature to 375. Bake for about 30-35 minutes, or until loaves have turned golden and sound slightly hollow when tapped on the top.
Allow to cool in pan for ten minutes and then remove to finish cooling on a cooling rack.

Notes

Beware of using a small pan. This recipe requires a large enough pan to accommodate the dough.
If your bread is not rising well, place loaves in a slightly warmer spot in your kitchen. I let my bread rise next to a warm oven.
Allow bread to cool completely prior to slicing.
Bread will keep on the counter for several days but will keep best in the refrigerator for up to 6-7 days. There’s no preservatives in this stuff so it won’t last as long as your supermarket bread- eat fast!
Wrapped securely in aluminum foil, bread will keep in a freezer for up to four months.

Pumpkin Pancakes

10 Comments / Breakfast

This time of year, pumpkin reigns supreme, and I can’t think of a cozier way to salute such a fine ingredient than to make a batch of pancakes. The best part? WHIPPED CINNAMON BUTTER. If you’re gearing up for the weekend and ready for a simple treat to star at breakfast, look no further than these simple pumpkin pancakes.

I’m not sure if you remember, but we hosted a wedding at our home last weekend. Between a hurricane, COVID, and a few blended families, one would think the odds were not stacked in our favors, but somehow, it ended up being awesome. Not so awesome that I’d sign up to do it again next week, but seriously heart-warming and special. I shared some photos on IG, and if you saw them, you know- it was precious. If there’s any brides out there feeling deflated because 2020 has put a kink in all their wedding plans, let me encourage to consider a small family affair. There was no shortage of love or fun, and if I had a chance to do mine again, I may consider the same.

Pumpkin Pancakes

With so much family in town, I got to share a few baked goods that I’ve been working on for this site, but these pumpkin pancakes were not one of them. Why? Because they were long-gone before family arrived. I nibbled on bits of these cinnamon-spiced treats all week, and Aimee has been demolishing the whipped cinnamon butter one slice of toast at a time.

My hunch is that you’ll find yourself with a half-can or so of pumpkin puree sometime in the next couple of weeks, and when you do, I hope you’ll look no further than these pumpkin pancakes! They are warm, cozy, and simple, which makes them the perfect treat to rely on in these autumn months. While the pumpkin pancakes are the star of the show, don’t sleep on that cinnamon butter. It is so yummy, and I’m finding that any leftovers taste amazing on toast, biscuits, and even baked sweet potatoes! Truly, it’s the gift that keeps on giving.

It’s only Thursday, but I hope you guys are going into the weekend with happy hearts and high hopes. Have some fun these next couple of days, and don’t forget to relax with pumpkin pancakes! Happy baking and see you next week!

If you like these pumpkin pancakes you should try:

Pumpkin Danishes
Buttermilk Pancakes
Pumpkin Yeast Bread
Almost Vegan Coconut White Chocolate Pancakes
Pumpkin Pull-Apart Bread

Pumpkin Pancakes

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 2 reviews

These pumpkin pancakes and scented with spice and are topped with a lightly sweetened whipped cinnamon butter!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 5
Cook Time: 5
Total Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 9
Category: Breakfast

Ingredients

For the pancakes:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1–1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons milk
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 large egg
2 teaspoons clear vanilla extract
1/4 cup brown sugar
1–1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
Extra butter for greasing skillet, pancake syrup, and whipped cream, if desired

For the cinnamon butter:

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon

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Instructions

To prepare the pancakes:

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the butter, milk, pumpkin puree, egg, vanilla extract, and sugar until well combined. Add the dry ingredients and stir together with a spoon or spatula until combined, but still a bit lumpy. Do not overmix and allow the batter to rest while you preheat your pan.
Heat a griddle to medium (325 degrees) and stir the batter once more. Wrap 1 tablespoon butter in a napkin or paper towel and use it to lightly grease your griddle. Spoon 1/3 cup scoops of batter onto the griddle and gently smooth each out into a 5” circle. Cook until bubbles barely appear on the edge and center of the pancake and the edges no longer look glossy. Flip the pancakes and cook and additional 2 minutes, or until the bottoms are golden brown. Serve with cinnamon butter and maple syrup.

To prepare the cinnamon butter:

In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter on medium speed until slightly pale, about 1-2 minutes. Add the powdered sugar and cinnamon and stir until combined. Store in a covered container prior to use.

Black Bottom Pumpkin Pie

12 Comments / Pies and Tarts

What are the traditions you’re looking forward to in the coming months? Is there a recipe or a feeling that you anticipate this time of year? Some kind of moment that just kinda makes it feel like home? I recently had an editor at a magazine ask me a similar question, and it got me thinking. Growing up there was coffee cake on Christmas morning, leftover slices of cake for breakfast the day after my birthday, and eggs stuffed with coins hidden in the backyard on Easter, but now, as an adult with my own family, I kinda get to call the shots. I’m finally in the position to be the tradition creator in my own house, so what do I pick? What foods and songs and formalities are going to stick around for the long haul?

My guess is a lot of Moms feel worn out by the pressure to create these Pinterest-worthy parties and moments and foods for their kids around the holidays. We have access to so much; it’s impossible not to look around and feel compelled to keep up with everyone around us. To be honest, the performer in me has a hard time with just enjoying the moments that arise. Instead, I really struggle with this inner drive to do more, make things better, and spin this web of magic for my kids, especially around the holidays. In an effort to be more mentally and emotionally present, I really want to loosen my grip these few months and make more of the time by sharing me. Less garland, fewer appetizers, a messier house, but a happier Mom. A less frazzled Kate.

Black Bottom Pumpkin Pie

I love this black bottom pumpkin pie. Growing up, my Mimi made two pumpkin pies every Thanksgiving. We’d fight over the leftover slices in the days following the holiday. Here, as a self-proclaimed Southern transplant, I took a note from all of the old charity league and church cookbooks and added a black bottom to an otherwise normal pie. What we’re left with is a fudgy layer of chocolate topped with traditional pumpkin pie filling. The good news is it’s all wrapped in snug to my favorite shortcut of the holiday season: Diamond Nut’s Pecan Crust.

Similar to the graham cracker crusts you’ve seen in stores for ages, Diamond’s pecan and walnut crusts are pre-made crusts made with their premium nuts. Each crust is adaptive in flavor and can up the ante on your favorite pie recipes. Because each are ready to use, the pie making process is so much more simple, leaving you with less hours to log in the kitchen and more time to just be present.

This black bottom pumpkin pie is mildly spiced and perfectly sweetened. I prefer to serve mine with large dollops of whipped cream, but you could very well skip that if you’d prefer. As a garnish, I opted for some chocolate shavings and candied pecan pieces, but again, totally unnecessary. The pecan pie crust and yummy autumnal filling is all the flavor this black bottom pumpkin pie requires.

Making the Pie

To make it, we start with the black bottom. A simple chocolate ganache made with chopped semisweet chocolate and heavy creamy comes together to be spread into the bottom of the ready-made pecan crust. Next, a filling made with pumpkin puree, eggs, sugar, and just enough spice mixes in a single bowl. Pour it on top of the set ganache bottom. Finally, this black bottom pumpkin pie bakes in a preheated oven in about thirty minutes. Allow it to cool in the fridge over the course of an hour. I like to serve slices at room temperature with a cloud of fresh cream. YUM.

Many thanks to Diamond for sponsoring this post. I want to hear about the traditions you guys are dreaming up for your families this time of year. Our time is limited, and I so desperately want to be intentional with every minute. I hope this season is full of lots of love for you all, and I can’t wait to hear how you enjoy this black bottom pumpkin pie. HAPPY BAKING!

If you like this black bottom pumpkin pie you should try:

Pumpkin Cheesecake Tartlets

Sweet Potato Pie with Meringue Topping

Pumpkin Pecan Tart with Maple Whipped Cream

Pumpkin Pull-Apart Bread

Black Bottom Pumpkin Pie

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 2 reviews

This black bottom pumpkin pie has a chocolate ganache layer topped with a simple pumpkin filling and is baked in a pecan pie crust!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 20
Cook Time: 40
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 9 Servings
Category: Pie

Ingredients

For the ganache:

3 ounces heavy cream
3 ounces semisweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate

For the pie:

1 Diamond Pecan Pie Crust
¾ cup pumpkin puree
¾ cup evaporated milk
2 large eggs
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1–1/4 teaspoons cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ginger
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
pinch of cloves

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Instructions

Start by preparing the ganache. Gently heat the cream on the stove or in the microwave until it is steaming and almost bubbling. Pour the cream over the chocolate in a medium-sized bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow it to sit for 5 minutes. Remove the plastic wrap and whisk gently until smooth. If there are still chunks of chocolate, gently heat in the microwave in 15 second increments. Pour the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pie crust and put it in the fridge or freezer to firm up to fudge consistency.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the pumpkin, evaporated milk, and eggs in a large bowl. Add the sugars and vanilla and stir to combine. Add the flour and spices and stir just until smooth. Pour the mixture over the firm chocolate in the pie crust. Bake the pie in the preheated oven until the edges are set and the center wiggles like jello, about 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely prior to serving with whipped cream, if desired.

Pumpkin Danishes

6 Comments / Breakfast, Confections and Candies

So you might recall that last weekend was my birthday. We spent Friday and Saturday in Birmingham with friends and family, but the actual day-of was rather standard procedure. Leading up to the day of, Aimee became fixated on preparing me breakfast in bed, and much to her delight, Brett was more than willing to help facilitate.

I wish I had a picture of her face as she tiptoed into my room that morning. Aimee had filled her tiny plastic tea party tray with miniature cups of orange juice and unicorn cereal, Mickey Mouse waffles and French toast sticks. There were cinnamon rolls and fresh coffee, even a couple of cards and those neon colored daisies that they sell at the grocery store. The whole operation just screamed “ AIMEE DID THIS,” and honestly it was one of the sweetest moments of my motherhood thus far.

In that moment it was clear that even from a young age humans experience innate joy from celebrating the people they love. Aimee, my four year old who can’t even reach the toaster, took such delight in having a hand in preparing something that she thought would be so special to me. She celebrated me how she would have wanted to be celebrated, and there’s so much feeling and hormonal heart swelling attached to that memory that I could cry just thinking about it. The breakfast itself was special, yes, but it was really nothing more than frozen waffles. The fun in it all for her was being able to share in something that felt out of the ordinary and celebratory. Even my four year old has figured out that it’s good to celebrate the people you love.

Pumpkin Danishes

I adore these pumpkin danishes. They’re delicious, equal parts buttery and sweet, but they’re definitely not a run-of-the-mill breakfast food. Danishes take time and tons of intentionality. They’re not something you just whip up on a whim, and honestly, that’s kinda what I like about them. I appreciate how special they feel. I love that they’ve got more gusto than a breakfast bar or bowl of cereal. These pumpkin danishes are a dish that says, “Hey! I love you! Let’s celebrate.”

If you’ve hung out around this block long enough, you know about the danishes we’ve done in the past. The dough take time and patience, but once you understand the concept of folding and layering the dough, you’re almost all of the way there. For these pumpkin danishes, we utilize those same dough-making methods and then cut, fold, and fill them to create a cute little 3 bite treat. The pastry is 90% of the work and the filling is really simple, but I also threw in a brown butter glaze that’s really unnecessary. We’re just going all-out over here, okay?

Making the Danishes

The trickiest part of these pumpkin danishes is the shaping of the pastry. In the oven, the pastry will want to unfold and leave an angled corner hanging out on the edge of the danish. Instead, be sure to keep your dough cold and to press the pastry in tight when you shape them. Because the pumpkin filling has egg in it, it does tend to “grow” in the oven. To combat this, I took a cue from Yossy Arefi and doubled filled each one. I filled a little, baked the pastry, filled a little more, and did a final bake. Kinda tedious and really only necessary from an aesthetic standpoint, so if you don’t mind messy pastries you can skip this step.

I hope you find a reason to celebrate with these pumpkin danishes ASAP. There’s lots of happy to tap into around us if we just take the time to recognize and love on it. Happy Thursday and happy baking!

If you like these pumpkin danishes you should check out:

Brown Sugar Danishes

Braided Breakfast Danish

Swirled Pumpkin Cheesecake Tarts

Pumpkin Pecan Tart

Pecan Apple Dutch Baby

Pumpkin Danishes

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

These pumpkin danishes include a buttery pastry dough and a pumpkin spice filling. There’s an optional brown butter glaze if you’re feeling super fancy.

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 240
Cook Time: 45
Total Time: 4 hours 45 minutes
Yield: 12
Category: Breakfast

Ingredients

For the dough (Adapted from Samantha Seneviratne:

1 ½ cups bread flour, plus more for rolling dough
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
14 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cubed
1 large egg
¼ cup cold whole milk

For the filling:

8 ounces cream cheese, softened but still cold
½ cup canned pumpkin puree
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup powdered sugar
1 egg, divided
½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Pinch of salt

For the brown butter glaze (optional):

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk

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Instructions

To prepare the dough:

Combine the flour, granulated sugar, yeast and salt in a food processor. Add butter and pulse to combine until butter is distributed in pea-sized pieces throughout the flour. Put the flour mixture in a medium bowl.
In a separate, small bowl, whisk the egg and milk with 2 tablespoons of water. Add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients. Fold the mixture until the liquid is evenly distributed, being careful to not overwork the dough. Dump the contents of the bowl out on to a lightly floured surface and pat into a rectangle. Chill for at least 3 hours, and up to 2 days.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to an 8-by-15-inch rectangle. Fold the dough in thirds like a letter. Rotate the dough 90 degrees and repeat the rolling and folding process. Dusting with flour as needed to prevent sticking, rotate, roll, and fold a final time, ending with a small, rectangular piece of dough. Wrap the dough in Saran wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Repeat the entire rolling and folding process one more time. You will have rolled and folded the dough six times. If the dough becomes loose or tacky, place in the fridge to rest for a bit. Wrap the dough and place in the fridge for 2 hours or up to overnight.
To prepare the danishes:
In a large bowl, cream the cream cheese, pumpkin, brown sugar, and sugar on medium speed just until smooth. Break the egg yolk and spoon most of it into the mixture, leaving some behind in a small bowl. Add the pumpkin pie spice and salt to the mixture and stir to combine. Pour the filling into a piping bag or a plastic bag with the corner snipped off. If your filling is loose, place it in the fridge while you prep your pastry.
Roll out the dough on a floured surface into a roughly 10”x13” rectangle. Trim ¼” off of each side to straighten edges and cut the dough into 12 equal sized squares (I usually make 3 rows of 4 squares.) Beat the remainder of the egg and brush a dab of it on the four corners of each square of dough. Fold each corner in to the center and press down firmly (but without pushing your finger through the dough!) Transfer each one to a parchment lined sheet pan and cover with a sheet of plastic wrap to rise and puff for about an hour or so. The dough should barely start to spring back when you touch it when it’s ready.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. If the centers of your pastries have risen a ton you can push down on the centers again. Brush the pastries with the thin layer of the reserved egg. Pipe ½ tablespoon of filling in the center of each one, reserving the additional filling. Bake in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes and then decrease the temp to 375. You’ll notice that the pastries will have risen quite a bit and likely displaced a lot of the filling- don’t worry. We anticipated this. Quickly and carefully remove the pan from the oven and pipe an additional ½ tablespoon of filling on top. You can use the back of a spoon to move it around to cover the old filing a bit if you’d like. Continue baking at 375 for an additional 8-10 minutes or until the pastries are golden brown. Remove from oven to cool.

To prepare the glaze (optional):

Cook the butter over medium heat on the stove until melted. Continue cooking, stirring all the while, until the butter has begun to brown and smells nutty. Remove from heat and immediately whisk in the powdered sugar and milk. Allow it to cool to drizzle consistency before glazing the pastries.

Pumpkin Pecan Tart with Maple Whipped Cream

24 Comments / Pies and Tarts, Uncategorized

Let’s cut to the chase: it’s high time that we get started on this fall thing. In the spirit of turtlenecks and jewel tones and crunchy leaves, today I’ll be chatting about this super simple pumpkin pecan tart that just screams, “AUTUMN!” As a bonus, we’re also going to share some recipes from a number of other bloggers who are sporting pumpkin goods on their sites today. Talk about a happy Monday, huh!?

Pumpkin Pecan Tart

So first up is the pumpkin pecan tart. I’m all for recipes that can be thrown together in a pinch. There’s something very satisfying about taking on a baking challenge, but sometimes we need a few recipes in our back pocket that taste terrific without hours of stressful work. I have a feeling that this pumpkin pecan tart will be your go-to for the fall.

Making the Tart

Let’s get started with the crust. Here, we use a simple graham cracker crust that is elevated with the addition of finely chopped pecans and the just-right amount of butter. The pecans add ridiculous flavor to the otherwise simple crust and they’re a pretty perfect combo with the pumpkin.

The filling is a cream cheese and canned pumpkin base with not a whole lot extra added. Of course there’s cinnamon, some pumpkin pie spice, and sugar, but other than that the ingredients here are minimal. Simply cream together the pumpkin and cream cheese, add the remaining ingredients, and smooth the whole lot of it into the pie crust. That’s it!

A Few Tips

For best results with this pumpkin pecan tart, I recommend filling the crust and finishing off the toppings just before serving. I opted to top the whole thing with a maple whipped cream, but you could certainly bypass that step if you’d prefer. I spooned the whipped cream into a piping bag (or a large plastic bag with the end snipped off!) and squeezed little dollops of fluff all over the pie, but if you’d prefer a simple smear that would work too. Use any leftover pecans or graham cracker crumbs to garnish the top for a pretty finish, and it will be so cute that I promise your friends won’t guess how easy this little guy was to make.

This pumpkin pecan tart would make an excellent addition at your next supper club, Thanksgiving dinner, or Sunday afternoon lunch. I love how quickly the treat comes together and the flavors are so seriously autumnal that it just feels right. In the event that pumpkin tarts aren’t your thing (okay, but seriously, who even are you?) my friend Sara has rounded up a whole bunch of other bloggers who are sharing pumpkin recipes today as well. There’s everything from pumpkin babka to pumpkin couscous to pumpkin granola- almost 70 recipes in all! Check out the whole list here and get in the swing of fall this week. I think it’s about time.

Have an enormously joyful and fulfilling week and stop by here again on Friday. I may or may not be sharing another killer recipe on Friday (hint: I am). Happy Monday and happy baking!

If you like this pumpkin pecan tart you should check out:

Pumpkin Cheesecake Tarts

Pecan Pumpkin Cake with Burnt Sugar Frosting

Pumpkin Yeast Bread

Pumpkin Pull-Apart Bread

Pumpkin Pecan Tart with Maple Whipped Cream

Print Recipe

★★★★

3.5 from 2 reviews

This pumpkin pecan tart has a no-bake filling and a maple whipped cream topping. Served chilled, this dessert is a simple treat for fall gatherings!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 25
Cook Time: 10
Total Time: 35 minutes
Yield: 9
Category: dessert

Ingredients

For the crust:

1 cup (99 gm) graham cracker crumbs
¾ cup (100 gm) finely chopped pecans
¼ cup (50 gm) sugar
½ teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons (100 gm) unsalted butter, melted

For the filling:

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
¼ cup (50 gm) sugar
¼ cup (50 gm) brown sugar
10 ounces pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

For the maple whipped cream:

1 cups (240 gm) heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

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Instructions

To make the crust:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the graham cracker crumbs, pecans, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add the butter and stir to combine. Press the wet crumbs into the bottom and sides of a 9” tart pan with a removable bottom. I like to press a small amount of crumbs up the length of the sides first and then press the remaining into the bottom. Bake in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes or until the edges are turning gold and the bottom is set. Allow to cool completely.

To make the filling:

Beat the cream cheese, sugar, and brown sugar in a large bowl on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minutes. Add the pumpkin puree, vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice and beat on low just until combines. Spread the mixture into the cooled crust and allow the pie to set in a cold fridge, about 2 hours.

To make the whipped cream:

Whip the heavy whipping cream on medium-low speed until frothy and barely beginning to thicken. Add the maple syrup and vanilla extract and bean until stiff peaks. Spread or pipe the cream onto the prepared pie and serve immediately!

Pumpkin Yeast Bread

16 Comments / Breakfast

In America, we’re on the verge of Thanksgiving. In just two days, we will roll up our sleeves to stir and boil, grate and grease our way to a table filled with the faces of people we love (and love to irritate). While everyone has their own traditions, must-eat dishes, and turkey day activities, there are a few universal truths that should be closely followed to ensure the best possible holiday. I’ve arranged them in list form for your convenience.

The Universal Truths of Thanksgiving:

Thanksgiving is not the time to diet.

This is well-pondered, sound advice coming from your friendly neighborhood dietitian. Am I suggesting that you should require 12 sticks of butter in your creamed corn? No. Do I think it would be wise to drink straight from the gravy boat? Sweet mercy, absolutely not. If you are established in a diet regimen already, I encourage you to stick as close as possible to the path of righteousness, but if not, just know that Thanksgiving is not the time to start cutting carbs. Your cabbage soup cleanse can wait until Friday.

Don’t be that guy.

Don’t be the guy who tells the taboo story at the dinner table. And don’t be the jerk who makes Nana cry. And certainly don’t make off-color comments or bring up touchy family subjects. Just don’t be a Thanksgiving turd, okay?

Show up on time.

There is a time to be fashionably late. For example, if it’s your birthday, you are expected to show up to your surprise party late. If you’re a Kardashian, you are welcome to walk the red carpet as late as you darn well please. But let me say this- if I spend 12+ hours basting and sweating over a giant bird in the oven, you had better make sure your sorry behind is there to help carve it. I will not wait for you to start dinner, and no one will feel sorry for you when all that’s left to eat is the congealed salad.

Be grateful.

How about we thank the crap out of this Thanksgiving? What if we opened our heart and poured sincere, intentional gratitude on everyone around the table? If saying thank you or expressing love is hard for you, consider Thanksgiving your invitation to be unabashedly and enthusiastically thankful about the good things in your life.

Two words: cornbread dressing.

Listen, I grew up in a Yankee household and have all the love in the world for the classic seasoned “stuffing.” But if 12 years in Alabama have taught me anything, it’s that cornbread dressing is the bomb.com, and if you’re not making it, you’re just plain sorry. My mother-in-law gave me a terrifically delicious recipe, and yes, I am starving just thinking about it.

Help the host.

I mean it. Text them right now and say, “What can I do to be helpful at the Thanksgiving meal?” Ask if you can pick up ice or bring a few extra bottles of wine. Offer to set the table or write out place cards. This post from Williams-Sonoma showcases a few other ways to be a great Thanksgiving dinner guest.

THAW. THE. TURKEY.

This will take longer than you think. If it’s not out of the freezer already, Godspeed, my friend.

Share a dessert!

Dessert is a great way to contribute a make-ahead dish to a Thanksgiving feast. Might I suggest a few of my favorites? How about chocolate chess pie, brown sugar cheesecake, caramel apple pie, or pumpkin cheesecake tartlets.

Bring a gift to share with your host.

Serving up a spectacle like Thanksgiving dinner requires a ton of time, money, and planning. Thank your generous host by bringing a happy parting gift that says, “YOU ROCK!” For a homerun gift, you should try…

PUMPKIN YEAST BREAD.

What better way to serve up leftover turkey and cranberry sauce than adorning it on a piece of fluffy, slightly sweet, and seasoned pumpkin yeast bread. This is the gift to beat. YA WELCOME.

This pumpkin yeast bread is the perfect thing for the season. Honey, all-purpose flour and pumpkin puree are combined with a few other ingredients to make the fluffiest autumnal bread that your Thanksgiving leftovers have ever seen. Sturdy enough for thick slices of turkey, but soft enough for a spread of cinnamon butter, this pumpkin yeast bread is a diverse treat that practically begs to be made this time of year.

Making the Bread

To make the pumpkin yeast bread, we start in the bowl of a stand mixer. First, dissolve some active dry yeast in some warm water. Next, add a bit of milk, oil, and honey, stirring to combine. Finally add the pumpkin puree. A single cup gets stirred into the wet ingredients and is followed up by all-purpose flour and the remaining dry ingredients. Knead the dough in your stand mixer (or by hand if you’re skilled like that!) and then allow it to rise in a warm spot in the kitchen.

Shaping the Loaves

Once doubled in size, divide the dough in two and form into loaves. Check out this video on shaping loaves if you’re unfamiliar. Allow the dough to rise again, this time until the loaves dome just an inch over the top of your bread pan. Brush each loaf with an egg wash and sprinkle with tiny pepitas for some added pumpkin flair.

These loaves bake up tall, fluffy, and outrageously delicious. Pumpkin yeast bread, while a far cry from your run-of-the-mill sandwich bread, is the delightfully familiar and cozy baked good you’ll want to share with your friends and family all season long. Give this recipe a try and have a terrific Thanksgiving holiday. I’m incredibly grateful for these pumpkin yeast bread loaves and YOU.

If you like this pumpkin yeast bread, be sure to check out:

Pumpkin Pull-Apart Bread

Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread

Pumpkin Yeast Bread

Print Recipe

★★★

3 from 1 reviews

This recipe makes two loaves of fluffy, lightly sweetened and seasons pumpkin yeast bread, perfect for making sandwiches or cinnamon toast!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 15
Cook Time: 30
Total Time: 165
Yield: 2

Ingredients

½ cup (120 mL) warm (not hot) water
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
¾ cup (180 mL) milk, room temperature (I use whole)
¼ cup (60 mL) honey
2 tablespoons oil (I use canola)
1 cup (225 gm) pumpkin puree
4–1/2-5 cups (595–650 gm) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
2–1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 egg
¼ cup raw pepitas

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Instructions

Pour the warm water into the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast over top of it. Allow the yeast to dissolve, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the milk, honey, and oil. Add the pumpkin puree and stir to combine. Add two cups of flour, the salt, and the pumpkin pie spice to the wet ingredients and stir until well integrated. Add an additional 2-1/2 cups of flour and, using the dough hook, knead the bread on medium speed for about 5 minutes or until the bread starts to become stretchy. Add additional flour to the bowl during the kneading process to get the dough the right texture. You are looking for a wet dough that pulls away slightly from the sides of the bowl.
Grease a large bowl and place the dough in it, covered with a piece of plastic wrap, to rise until doubled in size, about 1-1/2 hours. If the dough seems to have a hard time rising, move the bowl to a slightly warmer area of the kitchen. I like to let mine rise next to a warm oven.
Once doubled in size, dump the dough out onto a floured surface and divide into two equal pieces. Gently pat each piece of dough into a loaf-pan shaped rectangle and fold the two long edges to meet in the center of the dough. Rotate the dough 90 degrees and repeat. Fold the dough once more and gently form it into a loaf-shaped log. Place the dough into a greased loaf pan (8.5″ X 4.5″ X 2.75″) and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Allow each loaf to rise a second time for about 45 minutes until the dough has domed an inch above the top of the pan.
In a small bowl, whisk the egg with 1 teaspoon of water. Brush a thin layer of this egg wash over top of each loaf and sprinkle with the pepitas. Place dough pans in the oven and immediately decrease the heat to 375 degrees. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the top of each loaf is golden brown and sounds a bit hollow when tapped. Cool in the pan on a cooling rack for ten minutes and then remove each loaf from the pan to continue cooling on their own. Once cooled completely, wrap in a bread bag or a large sheet of aluminum foil to keep fresh! Loaves can be frozen after baking if desired.

Notes

Beware of using a small pan. This recipe requires a large enough pan to accommodate the dough.
If your bread is not rising well, place loaves in a slightly warmer spot in your kitchen. I let my bread rise next to a warm oven.
Allow bread to cool completely prior to slicing.
Bread will keep on the counter for several days but will keep best in the refrigerator for up to 6-7 days. There’s no preservatives in this stuff so it won’t last as long as your supermarket bread- eat fast!
Wrapped securely in aluminum foil, bread will keep in a freezer for up to four months.

Pumpkin Pull-Apart Bread

32 Comments / Breakfast

So this is it. This is 30. Yesterday was the turn of a new decade for me, and to commemorate my twenties and the ten birthdays that passed in that time, I am sharing with you some pumpkin pull-apart bread.

Turning 30

I’m probably supposed to be in mourning right now. You’re likely expecting me to talk about how great my twenties were or to complain about getting older. Maybe you’re anticipating a lengthy list of resolutions for the 10 years that follow today, or perhaps you’re just scrolling through all this nonsense so that you can read about the baked goods (no judgement, BTW.)

To be honest, 30 feels a whole lot like 29. A lot of joy, a hint stress, the occasional internal battle. I’m sure in the coming years, I’ll continue to yell at my kids and count my gray hairs a bit too often. There will be vacations and laughter and long phone calls with friends, moments of fresh revelation and desperation for answers to prayers.

If 30 is different from 20 in any way, it is that I now know to expect the unexpected from life. And I’m okay with that uncertainty. I’ll relish in the highs and steady myself through the lows, knowing that that there are nuggets of gold and truth and hope to uncover in every season if I’m willing to smoke them out. For me, 30 is the year of resting in the things that I know, a time for dusting off bits of myself that sat hidden on the proverbial shelf during the busyness and insecurity of my twenties. Maybe 30 will be the grand unveiling of a woman who is beautifully average but so content in the aesthetic of her own skin that she sparkles in a way that a 20-year-old simply cannot.

Maybe 30 is the new 20.

Pumpkin Pull-Apart Bread

I’m sharing this pumpkin pull-apart bread alongside a number of other bloggers who are slinging pumpkin-filled recipes for the annual Virtual Pumpkin Party. You might remember last year’s pumpkin cake with burnt sugar frosting? Well, we’re back at it again, bigger and better than ever, because that’s what we do. We grow, we progress, we get infinitely cooler over time.

This pumpkin pull-apart bread is fab. I adapted the recipe from my sweet potato cinnamon rolls which are a not-so-subtle nod to Ree’s famous buns. This pumpkin pull-apart bread is gooey and fragrant, the perfect comfort dish for the coming chilly seasons. If this bread was a sweater, it would be an oversized cable-knit turtle neck in a rosy shade of millennial pink. It’s fresh yet familiar all at the same time.

How to Make Pull-Apart Bread

To make this pumpkin pull-apart bread, we start with a dough. Butter, milk, and sugar are warmed and sprinkled with yeast. The pumpkin is added next, along with of flour and spicy fall seasonings. While the original cinnamon rolls have a tender, moist dough, we add extra flour and kneading time to strengthen the pumpkin pull-apart bread dough. Once tacky and slightly stretchy, the dough is set aside to rise.

Next comes the rolling and stacking of the dough. First, we cut a ton of equal-sized tiny squares and layer them in a loaf pan with a cinnamon sugar filling. Each piece of bread gets a coat of gooey sweetened butter filling so the pieces pull apart easily. The bread undergoes a second rise before it is baked and drizzled with a cream cheese glaze.

This pumpkin pull-apart bread should be the centerpiece of your upcoming brunches and holiday meals. Simple, comfortable flavors in the packaging of a unique and modern treat. Give this pumpkin pull-apart bread a try and I promise that you’ll fall in love. Be sure to check out the other recipes involved in the #virtualpumpkinparty! You’ll be seeing them scattered over various sites today, and they’re sure to knock your socks off. Many thanks to Sara for coordinating this fun little get together.

If you like this pumpkin pull-apart bread, you should check out:

Pumpkin Pecan Cake with Burnt Sugar Frosting

Pumpkin Cheesecake Tarts

Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls

Bananas Foster Cinnamon Rolls

Orange Cardamom Cinnamon Rolls

Pumpkin Pull-Apart Bread

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

This pumpkin pull-apart bread s sweetened with a cream cheese drizzle and is the perfect addition to fall and winter breakfasts and brunches.

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 200
Cook Time: 30
Total Time: 230

Ingredients

For the dough:

½ cup (120 mL) whole milk
¼ cup (55 gm) unsalted butter
¼ cup (50 gm) sugar
2–1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
¾ cup (170 gm) pumpkin puree
2–3/4 cups (360 gm) all-purpose flour, plus up to ¼ cup more if needed
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

For the filling:

¼ cup (55 gm) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
½ cup (100 gm) sugar
½ cup (100 gm) brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg

For the icing:

2 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
¾ cup powdered sugar
1–2 teaspoons milk

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Instructions

Combine the milk, butter, and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat and stir to combine until the butter has melted. Remove from heat to the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl) and allow to cool to lukewarm. Once cooled, sprinkle the yeast over the top and allow it to dissolve, stirring occasionally as needed.
Stir the pumpkin into the milk mixture and then add the remaining ingredients. Using a dough hook attachment (or your hands) knead the dough on medium speed for 5 minutes. The dough should be tacky but pull away from the sides of the bowl easily. Grease a large bowl, place the dough inside, and cover the bowl with a sheet of plastic wrap. Allow it to rise in a warm spot in the kitchen until doubled in size, about 1-1/2 hours.
Grease a standard loaf pan (8.5” x 3.5”) and roll the dough out onto a well-floured surface into a 12”x 20” rectangle. Use the back of a fork to combine the butter, sugars, cinnamon and nutmeg into a creamy paste. Gently spread this over the entire sheet of dough.
Using a pizza cutter or a sharp knife, cut the dough into 6- 12” long strips. Carefully make two stacks of dough (with three strips in each stack) and cut each stack into three equal pieces. You should end up with 18 equal-sized rectangles of dough. Layer all of the dough pieces in the pan, being careful not to squish to dough pieces down too much. Cover with a sheet of plastic wrap and allow to rise a second time and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Once the dough has risen about ½-1” above the top of the pan (about 30 minutes)s, place in the preheated oven and bake for about 30-35 minutes, or until the top has turned golden and set, even in the middle. You can gently touch some of the pieces of dough in the middle of the pan to ensure that it doesn’t still feel soft and mushy. Be sure that the dough is not under-baked in the center or your loaf will deflate when you remove it from the oven. Once baked, allow the loaf to cool in the pan on a cooling rack.
Once almost all the way cooled, remove the loaf from the pan and prepare the icing. Beat the cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl with a hand mixer until smooth. Add just enough milk to make it loose enough to drizzle. Pour over the top of the loaf and serve! You can rewarm in the oven or microwave as well.

Recipe adapted from Ree Drummond

Pumpkin Pecan Cake with Burnt Sugar Frosting

24 Comments / Cakes

It’s happened to all of us. You find a delicious looking recipe, get psyched up to make it, do the grocery shopping, log the man hours and then… the final product sucks. The cake fell, the cookie was dry, the pie didn’t set up, etc., etc., etc. Isn’t that the worst?

Well, I’m over it. I’m not spending all of my free time testing recipes and spilling my guts on this blog (read: embarrassing myself in front of the world) to have any of the recipes on this site belly-flop in your kitchen. I’m determined that YOU WILL HAVE SUCCESS!

Enter: my recipe tester. I have solicited the help of fellow baking enthusiast// butter and sugar boss-lady to test the majority of my recipes before they make it to your computer screen. Together, we are going to produce face-melting treats, and you, my friends, will be happier and more successful in the kitchen because of it. CAN I GET AN AMEN?!

This pumpkin pecan cake with burnt sugar frosting is the first recipe I sent to my little kitchen elf. It’s almost laughable because this recipe was not an immediate success. This cake, admittedly, is a bit of a bear to make if you have zero kitchen experience or ambition, but trust me when I say that the juice is worth the squeeze. Plus, we’re all grown ups here- we can totally do this. Are you up for the challenge?

This pumpkin pecan cake with burnt sugar frosting starts by making a burnt sugar syrup that is used both in the frosting and as a moistening syrup for the cake. This syrup, as well as the salty pecans scattered between the layers of cake, can be made ahead of time, so take heart in knowing that you can easily break this baking up over a couple of days. The pumpkin cake layers, an adaptation of Rosie Alyea, are quite simple to make and incredibly moist. When you’re ready to assemble the cake, you simply whip the syrup into a cream cheese buttercream and voila: pumpkin pecan cake with burnt sugar frosting.

And as if one pumpkin recipe wasn’t enough, there just so happens to be more to go around. I’m sharing today’s recipe in collaboration with Sara, Aimee, and a whole bunch of other bloggers who are slinging pumpkin dishes on their sites today. Check out the full list of those participating in the #virtualpumpkinparty on Sara and Aimee’s sites!

Happy fall y’all and cheers to you! For more cake recipes, click here!

Pumpkin Pecan Cake with Burnt Sugar Frosting

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

This pumpkin pecan cake is a 3 layer, 8″ cake made up of pumpkin cake layers, salty buttered pecans, and coats of burnt sugar frosting.

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 90
Cook Time: 45
Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes

Ingredients

For the pumpkin cake layers

2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1–1/4 cups canola oil
1–1/2 cups canned pumpkin puree
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups cake flour
1–1/2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

For the burnt sugar syrup

1 cup sugar
2/3 cup hot water
1/2 tablespoon corn syrup

For the burnt sugar frosting

1/2 cup burnt sugar syrup
3 sticks (1-1/2 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 block (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1–1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 teaspoon salt
5 cups powdered sugar

For the salty pecans

2 tablespoons of melted butter
1 cup of pecans, finely chopped
1/2–3/4 teaspoon salt (add based on your preferences)

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Instructions

To prepare the pumpkin cake layers

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease 3-8″ cake pans with cooking spray. Line the bottoms of them with parchment paper rounds for easy removal.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the sugar and eggs on medium high speed until light and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes. Add the oil, pumpkin, and vanilla and beat on low speed until well combined. Add the dry ingredients and beat on low speed, just until combined. Be sure not to over-mix. Scrape the sides of the bowl and fold in any ingredients that may have gotten stuck to the sides of the bowl.
Evenly distribute the cake batter amongst the 3 pans. Bake in the preheated oven about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool completely prior to frosting. (See notes)

To prepare the burnt sugar syrup

Place sugar in a cast iron or stainless steel skillet and allow sugar to melt on medium-low (I use 3-4 on my stovetop) heat for about 15 minutes, stirring as seldom as possible. Over-stirring the syrup can cause it to crystallize which is NOT the goal. Continue to cook on medium-low heat until the sugar has melted completely and it becomes a dark amber color. Cooking time may vary depending on your stovetop. Be sure to cook until it is dark and fragrant but has not begun to heavily smoke.
Carefully and slowly add hot water and stir slightly to combine with the sugar. The mixture will bubble up and steam, so take care not to burn yourself. Cook on low heat for approximately 3 minutes and then add the corn syrup. Set aside to cool in a heat proof container (I use a covered mason jar) until room temperature. At room temperature, the syrup should be the consistency of molasses. See notes for help on the syrup if needed.

To prepare the burnt sugar frosting

Cream together the butter and cream cheese on medium speed in the bowl of a stand mixer for about 2 minutes. Do not over-beat, but scrape the sides of the bowl to ensure that no clumps remain and the mixture is evenly combined.
Add 1/2 cup of the cooled burnt sugar syrup and the vanilla and beat on low to combine, about 30 seconds. Scrape the sides of the bowl and then add the salt and powdered sugar. Beat on medium-low speed until combined, about 1-2 minutes. Add additional powdered sugar to thicken the frosting as needed.
Use frosting immediately or refrigerate up to 1 week. Reserve the remaining 2 tablespoons of burnt sugar syrup to use as a moistening syrup for the cakes.

To prepare the salty pecans

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Combine the butter, pecans and salt on a sheet pan. Bake in the preheated oven, stirring once or twice, for about 10 minutes or until the nuts have been evenly toasted. Allow to cool.

To assemble the cake

Level all cake layers prior to stacking.
Mix 2 tablespoons of the remaining burnt sugar syrup with 1/2 tablespoon of water to create a moistening syrup. You can microwave it on low for 10-15 seconds to help melt the syrup. Stir to combine.
Using a pastry brush, “moisten” each cake layer with 1/3 of the syrup.
Use a small dab of frosting to adhere the first layer of cake to an 8″ cake board or a serving plate. Spread 1-1/3 cups of frosting on to the first layer of cake and smooth until flat. Sprinkle 1/3 of the nuts evenly on the frosting. Repeat this entire process once for the second layer of cake and then place the final cake layer on top. Smooth 1-1/2 cups of frosting on top of that final layer and smooth over the top.
Use a small amount of frosting to apply a thin coat of frosting on the sides of the cake to “crumb coat” the cake. (See notes). Refrigerate briefly, about 30-45 minutes, to help set the frosting, and then continue covering and decorating the cake with frosting as desired. Garnish the top of the cake with the remaining nuts. Enjoy!

Notes

You can store your syrup in the fridge to help maintain freshness, however, keep in mind it will firm up quite a bit in the fridge. Simply microwave at brief, 15 second intervals until it becomes soft enough to pour. Do not add hot syrup to your buttercream.
If you happen to cook your syrup too long and it becomes hard once cooled, you can microwave it at brief, 15 second intervals with a tablespoon or two of water. Once able, stir it all together to thin out the syrup a bit. The syrup should be molasses consistency at room temperature.
I briefly freeze my cake layers to ensure they are sturdy. It makes frosting the cake cleanly a bit easier.
If frosting becomes too soft while using, refrigerate briefly to thicken up. Likewise, if frosting is too hard, allow to warm slightly at room temperature, or add a small bit of water a teaspoon at a time to thin out slightly.
A crumb coat helps to lock in any cake crumbs and prevent them from showing up in the final coat of frosting applied to the exterior of the cake. This isn’t necessary, but helps to keep your cake neat and pretty!

Recipe for cake layers adapted from: Rosie Alyea

Pumpkin Cheesecake Tarts

19 Comments / Pies and Tarts

What age is too old?

This is the question I’m faced with more and more frequently.

For example, I secretly love Harry Styles, but am I just way too old to admit that? I want to buy a chokers and lace up shirts, but wait, didn’t I wear those twenty years ago!? And then what about my secret stash of Mary-Kate and Ashley movies? AM I TOO OLD FOR ALL OF THIS? PLEASE INFORM.

I’m stuck in this purgatory age known as 28 where (to quote the great philosopher Britney Spears) I’m not a girl, not yet a woman, and I have no gauge of where my awkwardness fits in society.

Ok, I can already hear you rolling your eyes at me, and that’s fine. You can judge me. You can hate me for getting antsy about nearing my thirties, or you can laugh at the immature desires of my old, wrinkly heart. But I’m just being honest here, ok?

This past weekend, we traveled with friends to Atlanta for a football game and 36 kid-free hours of food and shopping. Following an afternoon of day-drinking, pre-dinner cocktails, and a few poured bottles of wine throughout dinner, I was feeling pretty fancy. And to be clear, by fancy, I mean Ready. To. Dance.

We attempted to crash a wedding at our hotel, but security swiftly asked us to leave (#proudmoments). Instead, we decided to walk to a club around the corner. Brett paid our cover, the thick velvet curtain was drawn back for us, and for a minute, I was 21 again. Yes, in my mind’s eye, I was young, fresh-faced, sans stretch marks or nursing boobs, and for all intents and purposes, a BABE.

Well, that moment lasted about as long as it took for me to get to the dance floor, because then the question hit me: Am I too old?

I am choosing to believe that the age to enter this club had to have been, like, 14 because some of these kids looked downright preteen. These were tiny, infant children, playing pretend with their mom and dad’s stash of Bud Light and cocktail straws. That has to be it. Otherwise, the alternative is that I was the old one.

Well, I danced. I danced and jumped and sang and did a bunch of other fistpump/pelvic thrust movements because when you’re old, you don’t have time to practice your moves in the mirror of your bathroom anymore. The DJ amused us by playing an assortment of hits from the 90’s, and at one point, Brett and I were booty dancing (do we still call it that?) and yell-singing the six or seven words we were able to make out of “It’s Tricky” by Run D.M.C. I have no doubt in my mind that those fetus humans we danced alongside went home and told their friends about the crusty old people who humiliated themselves doing the hand-jive in the middle of a struggling dance floor, but honestly, if you can’t dance when you’ve been casually drinking for 12 hours, WHEN CAN YOU DANCE!?!

The moral of this story is that growing up is hard to do, but if you manage to dance your way through it with your friends, you’ll make it out with not much more than a dull headache and a few blurry photos to fondly laugh at later.

I’ll be 29 in a few weeks and I’m considering these pumpkin cheesecake tarts as an ode to my earlier years. They’re cute, petite, and wildly delicious. I shared them with a friend who said they would make a terrific alternative to the usual Thanksgiving desserts, but honestly, life is short and we really don’t need an excuse to indulge in delicious desserts. The time for dancing and pumpkin cheesecake tarts is now.

The recipe for these pumpkin cheesecake tarts is adapted from my bruleed key lime pies, so if you’ve tried those you know how simple these are to make! We start by pressing a shortbread crust into the bottom of 4″ tart pans. I used my favorite shortbread crust from these blueberry lemon bars. The filling is sweet and creamy, similar to a cheesecake, with swirls of pumpkin and all of our favorite fall flavors. After a quick bake in the oven, the tarts are cooled to room temp before being topped with toasted hazelnuts. Sound awesome? Yeah, I thought so.

You can make these pumpkin cheesecake tarts ahead of time and warm slightly just before eating.Whipped cream isn’t mandatory, but I really can’t think of a reason not to go for it; a sprinkle of cinnamon and nutmeg in that whipped cream would be magical. I’ve also tried adding the hazelnuts directly to the shortbread crust, and let me just say that I was NOT disappointed. If you don’t have mini tart pans, you can make this in one larger 10″ tart pan (or maybe even a jelly roll pan as a bar??) as well! You will most definitely have a little extra dough and filling, though, so I recommend making only 2/3 of the recipe and lengthening your bake times.

I hope you give these pumpkin cheesecake tarts a shot. I also hope you weren’t at that bar secretly laughing at my dance moves.

Cheers to you and happy Monday!

Pumpkin Cheesecake Tarts

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

These pumpkin cheesecake tarts are a pumpkin pie and cheesecake mashup, baked in a shortbread crust and topped with toasted hazelnuts. It’s a perfect fall dessert!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 45
Cook Time: 30
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Yield: 6

Ingredients

For the crust

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2–1/3 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

For the filling

1– 8 ounces block of cream cheese, at room temperature
1 can of sweetened condensed milk, divided
2 eggs plus 1 egg yolk, divided
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup of pumpkin puree
1–1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup of toasted hazelnuts
Whipped Cream (if desired)

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Instructions

To prepare the crust

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray 6- 4″ tart pans with removable bottoms with baking spray and set aside.
Cream together the butter and sugar, about 1-2 minutes on medium speed. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the vanilla. Add the flour and salt all at once and stir on low speed until large crumbles begin to form.
Divide the dough between the 6 tart pans and lightly press the dough out evenly on the bottom and up the sides. Place on a sheet pan and in the freezer for the dough to set up for about 10 minutes.
Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Once removed from the oven, carefully press out the bottom or any areas where the dough may have gotten droopy in the pans. Be sure to do this while it is still warm from the oven! Set aside while you prepare the filling.

To prepare the filling

Cream the cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer on medium speed for about 2 minutes, or until smooth and creamy. Add 1/2 of the can of sweetened condensed milk and beat briefly to combine, scraping the bowl as needed. Add 1 egg, the vanilla, and salt, beating together to combine. Set aside 1/2 cup of this mixture in a medium sized bowl.
To that 1/2 cup of cream cheese mixture, add the pumpkin, the rest of the sweetened condensed milk, an egg and the egg yolk, and the pumpkin pie spice. Beat to combine, scraping the bowl as needed.
Pour 1/4 cup of the pumpkin mixture in each of the cooled tart shells, and drizzle 3 tablespoons of the cream cheese mixture over top. Drag a knife through the filling to create swirls, if desired.
Place each tart pan on a sheet pan and bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes or until the outer edge of the tart has set well. Allow to cool briefly on the counter for about 30 minutes and then place in the fridge to cool completely. Serve each tart with a sprinkling of hazelnuts and a dollop of whipped cream, if desired.

Notes

Be sure the cream cheese is room temperature! If it is still cold while beating, little clumps will form in your batter and you’ll be forced to whisk it through a fine mesh strainer prior to pouring in your tart shells.
You can add your hazelnuts directly to your crust by finely chopping them and stirring into the dough clumps. You may have a little extra dough if you use this method, but I totally approve eating little handfuls of it raw. (gasp!)