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As promised, here’s one of the things I made with my own pureed pumpkin: Pumpkin Apple Spice Cake. I’ve been avidly following the Food Librarian’s bundt-cake-baking-fest and have pretty much decided to make every single one of the posted cakes. The first one I tried, given I had so much pumpkin puree as well as plenty of apples, was the Pumpkin Apple Spice Cake. What a great first choice!

I appreciated a lot of things about this cake. This recipe made 6 smaller bundt cakes, each one a wonderfully moist cake with plenty of warm, fall spices that shone brightly against the pumpkin and big chunks of apple. Apple doesn’t often tend to stand out in their flavour, but I found they did in this cake. The pumpkin taste is mild and complemented by the cinnamon and cloves. One of my favourite things about the cake was that it wasn’t very sweet – there’s not much sugar in here, and so the apple, pumpkin and spices are not overpowered with sweetness. Oh, and does this ever make for a moist cake and when it’s served the same day it’s made, it has a nice crisp crust . Yum!

I was going to make a honey frosting to go with this, but after eating my first mini-bundt, I realized it wasn’t necessary. These are great all on their own and a perfect fall bundt cake.

Pumpkin Apple Spice Bundt Cake
adapted from The Food Librarian

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground ginger
10 Tbsp butter, softened a bit
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin purée
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups of diced Granny Smith apples
Powdered sugar to sift on top

1. Preheat oven to 350˚F.

2. Mix dry ingredients in medium bowl and set aside.

3. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until well blended. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, incorporating each completely. Add the pumpkin and blend well. Add vanilla and blend well. Stir dry ingredients into wet, a third at a time, stirring as little as possible to blend completely. Fold in the apple chunks.

4. Spray bundt pan (I used a pan with 6 mini bund molds) generously with nonstick cooking spray. Spread batter evenly in pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until cake starts to turn golden brown and whole kitchen smells good. Removed from oven and let cool in the pan for five minutes. Check to see if you need to run a butter knife along to break the edge away from the pan, but be careful not to damage the sides of the cake. Invert onto a plate and allow to cool completely. Sift powdered sugar onto the cake and serve.

If you like this, you might also like:

Mini Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
Orange Spice Pumpkin Bars with Browned Butter Frosting
Fresh Mango Bread

Last weekend was Canadian Thanksgiving, and when deciding what I wanted to contribute to the meal, I decided on the dessert and bread. I had big plans for the dessert – big, delicious, decadent plans. These plans fell apart, just like they do every year. I procrastinate and procrastinate, and when I finally head out to buy my pureed pumpkin (on the night I have to make my dessert), all of the stores are sold out. I biked to four different grocery stores in frigid windy weather in search of the elusive pumpkin, but to no avail.

After sadly making my way back home, I panicked slightly and tried to take stock of the ingredients I did have. Luckily, I had bought a big bag of apples the night before, and frozen cranberries had been on sale the week before…and that’s when this Thanksgiving’s somewhat lame dessert was born. I followed this basic recipe, making some changes along the way.

Not that this Apple-Cranberry Maple Crisp with Rum-Soaked Raisins was bad…it’s just that Thanksgiving is all about eating like a gigantic pig and loading up on starches, carbs, fats and big platefuls of rich desserts! A fruit crisp is hardly Thanksgiving-worthy, even though it might be tasty.

This crisp wasn’t my favourite crisp, but it was a good alternative. I really appreciated the juicy tartness of the cranberries – a welcome change from the usual dried cranberries. I couldn’t really taste the rum in the raisins, so I may leave that step out next time. It had a lot of cinnamon flavour, but I’m definitely including some other spices next time…perhaps some ginger and cardamom. The maple didn’t really stand out either, so I may try making a maple whipped cream instead of the plain whipped cream I made to go with it (which I think is an important element).

Overall, it’s a fine fall dessert and a good way to use up all those in-season apples and cranberries here in Quebec. Quick, easy, and filled with sweet and tart fruits. However, it’s not what I would call an appropriate Thanksgiving dessert (but I will make my original plan still!).

Apple-Cranberry Crisp with Rum-Soaked Raisins

8 large apples, peeled, cored and sliced
2 1/4 cups cranberries, fresh or frozen
3/4 cup raisins
2 oz rum
1 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cups rolled or quick oats
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) cold butter, cut in small pieces

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9 X 13 inch baking pan or casserole dish with vegetable spray.

2. Combine rum and raisins in a small bowl. Microwave on high until boiling. Stir and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, mix apple slices, cranberries, raisins, maple syrup, 1/4 cup flour and 1 tablespoon cinnamon together. Spread in prepared pan, and set aside.

3. Combine rolled oats, brown sugar, 3/4 cup flour and 1 teaspoon cinnamon in a large bowl. Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut in cold butter until mixture is crumbly, or it resembles very small peas. This step can also be done in a food processor. Spread evenly over fruit.

4. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-55 minutes, or until fruit is bubbly and crisp topping is lightly browned. Let cool slightly before serving.

Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Whipped Cream Recipe

2 cups cold heavy cream
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Using a stand mixer or a hand-held mixer with a whisk attachment, whip cream until almost stiff.

2. Add confectioners’ sugar and extract, and beat until stiff.

3. Refrigerate until ready to use.

If you like this, you might also like:

Apple and Cranberry Crisp with Ginger-Pecan Topping
Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
Caramel Apple Cupcakes

I hope everyone had happy and peaceful holidays! I ended up doing some baking (but no photos, so unfortunately, no posts), taking care of a sick cat, and packing. I’m sorry to say goodbye to the holidays, but looking forward to the new year.

I received More from Magnolia as a Christmas present this year, and have been very excited to make something from it. Of course, I wanted the famous cupcakes to be my first, but unfortunately, didn’t have any self-rising flour at home, so I ended up going with this recipe, as it meant not having to leave the house on a cold, wintery day.

I am not crazy about it. It’s okay, but it’s lacking something. I find it extremely sweet – too much so. Next time, I’ll definitely cut the sugar in the topping. The hazelnuts were definitely a hit though, a touch of sweetness and nuttiness.

The filling was okay, but the apples didn’t stand out at all. I would add some cinnamon to the filling next time, and probably more apples.

As for the crust – again, it was just okay. Soli swears his piece had a bitter taste in the crust, but I don’t taste that at all. It’s a typical crust that stands up well to the filling.

If you like super sweet apple desserts, you’d probably like this. As for me, I’m hoping the cupcakes turn out better!

Apple Tart with Hazelnut Brown Sugar Topping
adapted from More from Magnolia

BROWN SUGAR TOPPING
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened and cut into small pieces
1/2 cup coarsely chopped hazelnuts

FILLING
3 cups thinly sliced tart apples
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

CRUST
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder

TOPPING
1. In a medium-size bowl, mix together the flour and sugar.

2. Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the hazelnuts and, using your hands, toss until all the ingredients are well combined. Set aside.

FILLING
1. Place all the ingredients in a large bowl and toss gently until the fruit is evenly coated. Set aside.

CRUST
1. In a large bowl, on the low speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until smooth.

2. Add the egg and egg yolk, and mix well. Add the flour and baking powder, and beat just until combined.

3. Gather the dough into a ball and on a lightly floured surface, roll it out to fit a 10-inch tart pan. Fit the dough into the pan and trim the edge flush with the rim of the pan.

4. Transfer the fruit filling into the crust and sprinkle the borwn sugar topping evenly over the fruit. Place the tart on a baking sheet and bake for 50 minutes in a 325 degree F oven.

5. Cool on a wire rack for 1 – 2 hours. Serve warm or at room temperature.

I love apple crisps, especially when the evenings start cooling off and you have to start turning on the heat inside…then popping an apple crisp in the oven, the house filling with the smell of cinnamon…Mmmm!

Last night, I made the best apple crisp I have ever tasted and have finally found my go-to recipe for this perfect autumn dessert.

The topping:
The toasted pecans are amazing in it! Chunks of crunchy, flavourful nuts, mixed in with ginger, and a nice, strong sweet cinnamon. It’s perfectly crunchy and packed with dynamic flavours. Best.Topping. Ever. I will also try to use the topping on muffins.

The fruit filling:
As equally tasty and exciting in its multitudes of flavours. The tart granny smith apples join well with the dried cranberries, and the crystallized ginger in here adds that extra oomph. After baking, the filling does not get soggy, but the apples retain a bit of their crunch.

I prepared the recipe a bit differently, using a 9″x9″ glass baking dish and adding lemon juice to the apple mixture. The pan choice made no difference to the overall result, and the lemon juice was a good addition.

All together, probably the best crisp you will ever prepare. Honest.

Apple and Cranberry Crisp with Ginger-Pecan Topping
adapted from Bon Appetit

FILLING
4 medium Granny Smith apples (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled, cored, chopped into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup dried sweetened cranberries
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons minced crystallized ginger
1 tablespoon all purpose flour

TOPPING
1/3 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup old-fashioned oats
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2/3 cup toasted pecans, coarsely chopped

FILLING
1. Preheat oven to 375°F.

2. Butter four 1 1/4-cup custard cups or soufflé dishes.

3. Mix all ingredients in bowl. Let stand until juicy, about 5 minutes. Divide filling among prepared cups.

4. Bake until bubbling at edges, about 20 minutes.

TOPPING
1. Blend first 7 ingredients in large bowl. Rub in butter with fingertips until coarse meal forms. Mix in pecans with fingertips.

2. Crumble topping over hot apples. Bake until topping is golden brown, apples are tender, and juices are bubbling thickly, about 25 minutes. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Test-kitchen tip: To toast pecans, preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread the pecans in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until slightly darkened, about 8 minutes.