Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Posted on October 6, 2008 by kitchenbelle

I wanted to make something sweet and “fall-esque” for our family picnic/apple picking excursion.  I found this whoopie pie recipe, and it peaked my curiosity.  What an interesting spin on an old-fashioned treat!  Who doesn’t love whoopie pies!?  You can’t help but feel like a kid when you eat one.  It’s tough to get your mouth around the top and the cream inevitably spurts out from the sides onto your lips and cheeks–it’s impossible to eat one neatly!  I am so glad I made these because they were a hit!  The pumpkin cakes are so fluffy and flavorful and the cream filling is sweet and delicious.  My husband and family raved about these treats.  My uncle even saved one to have with coffee for breakfast!  I can certainly see these babies making another appearance at my table this season!

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies:

Cakes

  • 2 cups brown sugar
  • 1 cup canola oil
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon cloves
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup pumpkin, canned or fresh roasted
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3 cups all purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine all cake ingredients in a large bowl and blend until well incorporated.   Grease cookie sheets.  Drop batter by tablespoon (all equal sizes) onto cookie sheets.  Be sure to leave space between each–only six per cookie sheet–as these will spread while baking.  (You will have to make these in batches.*)  Bake for 10 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool completely on a wire wrack.

*I think I made about 4 batches of 6.  When you put the cakes together that gives you about 12 pies total.   It depends, however, on how big you make your pies.  Mine were on the larger size.  You could make about double this number if you made them smaller. 

Cream Filling**

  • 3 heaping tablespoons marshmallow cream (Fluff)
  • 1/2 cup butter softened
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup confectioners’ sugar

Combine all ingredients using an electric mixer until fully blended.  Spread on one cooled cake and top with another. 

**I made a double batch of the cream because one batch was far from enough.  You too, may want to double the measurements provided here.

 

Recipe from Ellie Deaner.  Cookbooks available for purchase here.

Filed under: Dessert, Fall, pumpkin | 2 Comments »

Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe

Posted on October 3, 2008 by kitchenbelle

I have had this recipe printed out and awaiting execution for a while now.  I finally made it!  One of the best parts of this dish is the wonderful shape of the macaroni.  How couldn’t you love eating something that translates as “little ears?”  These little discs (orecchiette) are nuggets of chewy deliciousness.  And because I am a lover of all greens bitter (the more bitter the better) I truly enjoyed this dish.  There is something so peasant-like about it.  Very simple.  Very nourishing.  I like to imagine my ancestors in Italy feasting on this bowl of little ears! 

One thing, however, I would suggest is to start with more garlic and more red pepper flakes.   Also, I would add two cups of chicken broth for maximum tastiness!

Orecchettie with Broccoli Rabe:

  • 1 /3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 8 garlic cloves,  sliced thinly
  • 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
  • 1 1/2 lb. trimmed broccoli rabe
  • 1 lb. dried orecchiette
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 cup cheese, freshly grated

 In a large pan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until the garlic is tender. Set aside.

Prepare a bowl of ice water and set aside. Bring a large pot three-fourths full of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the broccoli rabe and cook until just tender.  Using tongs, lift out and transfer to the ice water to shock. Leave the pot of water over high heat. Drain the broccoli rabe well and squeeze gently to remove water. Chop into pieces.

Add the pasta to the boiling water used to cook the broccoli rabe, and cook until al dente or according to the package instructions. While the pasta is cooking, add the broccoli rabe to the pan holding the garlic. Return to medium heat, season generously with salt, pepper, additional red pepper flakes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the broccoli is hot throughout.  (This is where you may also add 2 cups of chicken broth.)

Look at those bright beautiful bitter greens! The sight of them makes me salivate!


Drain the pasta and return to the warm pot. Add the garlic/oil/rabe and incorporate with pasta.  Top with grated cheese and serve. 

 Recipe adapted from Williams-Sonoma recipe found here.

Filed under: Main Dish, pasta | 1 Comment »

Brownie Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Posted on September 23, 2008 by kitchenbelle

I was asked to make pink frosted cupcakes for a shower and when I came across this brownie cupcake recipe I KNEW they would be just perfect for a group of gals!  Who doesn’t love chewy brownie goodness?!  And paired with cream cheese, I found these little treats 100% delectable!

Brownie Cupcakes:

  • 2/3 cup (4 oz.) unsweetened chocolate
  • 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 and 1/4 cups sugar
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 4 eggs
  • 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 F. Insert cupcake liners into pan.  In a saucepan, melt the chocolate and butter together until smooth.  Transfer to a larger bowl.  (This is important–if you mix your ingredients in the saucepan, the mini chips will melt!)  Add the sugar, flour, and vanilla and mix to combine.  Add the eggs one at a time and beat for about one minute after each.  Stir in the chocolate chips.  Fill cup cake liners 3/4 full with batter and bake for about 20-25 minutes.  Cool completely before frosting with cream cheese frosting.  (See recipe below.)

Look at the chewy brownie goodness!

Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • One 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

 Using an electric mixer, cream together cream cheese and butter until smooth.  Slowly sift the confectioners’ sugar into the bowl.  Continue beating until all lumps are gone.  Add the vanilla (and a few drops of food coloring, if you’d like–I added red to make pink frosting!) and mix until fully incorporated.  If mixture becomes too drippy, sift in additional confectioners’ sugar and continue to beat until you reach a spreadable texture.

 

Recipe adapted from Crazy About Cupcakes by Krystina Castella available for purchase here.

Filed under: chocolate, cream cheese, cupcakes, Dessert, frosting | 4 Comments »

Pumpkin Banana Bread

Posted on September 22, 2008 by kitchenbelle

 Frozen ripe bananas are taking over my freezer and I finally decided to do something about it!  I decided on this pumpkin banana bread (as opposed to plain old banana bread) and I must say it was good–very moist and smooth.  However, that said, there is neither a strong banana nor strong pumpkin flavor.  It is almost like the pumpkin diminished the banana flavor but without adding a whole lot of pumpkin flavor.   Does that make sense?  The flavors are subtle and smooth, and the texture just perfect (due to the yogurt, pumpkin, and banana).  I just wish the flavor were one notch higher.  Though I must say, the aroma of this baking was divine.  (I know now how they create all of those “fall” scented candles!)

 Pumpkin Banana Bread:

  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups pumpkin
  • 1 1 /2 cups mashed ripe bananas
  • 1 1/2 cups vanilla yogurt
  • 4 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ginger
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine oil, sugars, eggs, banana, pumpkin, and yogurt in a large mixing bowl.  Beat until smooth.  In a second bowl, sift together the dry ingredients.  Stir the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until blended.  Pour batter into two greased and floured loaf pans. Bake for about 45-55 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.

Original recipe found here on fabulousfoods.com.

Filed under: banana, Dessert, Fall, pumpkin | 1 Comment »

Caramel Apple Cupcakes with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

Posted on September 21, 2008 by kitchenbelle

I love autumn! 

I love how the weight of the thick summer air lifts to reveal the cool crisp dark breeze of fall.  The sun sets earlier, beckoning me to my kitchen and dinner table where the foods of the season can be savored.  Pumpkins, squash, and gourds paired with nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves.  Warm red wines nudge the cool white bottles off the shopping list.  Walking home after work I’m reminded of those first few weeks of school as a kid.  The excitement.  The newness of a new grade, new class, new teacher.  I wish I could bottle the hours between 3:00pm and 6:00pm and call on them during the humidity of summer and the frigidness of winter.  Fall is so short, such a small transitional season, I feel it my responsibility to take full advantage.  

And so I present my official first step into fall cooking/baking!

These cupcakes were somewhat “muffiny” in texture.  The pieces of apple were plump and juicy–a nice surprise!  I could have chopped the apples smaller, but I liked the nice chunks in each bite.  These cupcakes almost reminded me of coffee cake, they pair nicely with a warm cup of tea, and the frosting is a delicious treat!   Overall, I found these very enjoyable–a great way to kick off the season!

Caramel Apple Cupcakes:

  • 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 medium granny smith apples, peeled, cored and chopped into small pieces

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Insert liners into cupcake pans.  In a large bowl, beat the brown sugar with the oil, cinnamon, and vanilla using an electric mixer.  Once combined, add the eggs one at a time, beating for one minute after each addition.

In a separate bowl sift together the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder and salt).  Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture.  Beat until blended and then stir in the apple pieces until they are evenly distributed through the batter.

Fill the cupcake liners about 3/4 of the way.  Bake for about 22-25 minutes.  Cool on cooling rack and frost with maple cream cheese frosting (recipe below).

 

Look at the beautiful chunks of apple!

Recipe notes: The original recipe does not specify how many cupcakes to expect the recipe to yield–my batter turned out about 18 “normal” sized cupcakes. 

Maple Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • One 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 cups confectioner’s sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 tablespoons maple syrup

Using an electric mixer, cream together cream cheese and butter until smooth.  Slowly sift the confectioners’ sugar into the bowl.  Continue beating until all lumps are gone.  Add the vanilla and maple syrup and mix until fully incorporated.  If mixture becomes too drippy, sift in addtional confectioners’ sugar and continue to beat until you reach a spreadable texture.

 

Recipes adapted from “Crazy About Cupcakes” by Krystina Castella available for purchase here.

Filed under: apple, cream cheese, cupcakes, Dessert, Fall, frosting | 8 Comments »

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