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Mini Pumpkin Cakes
(Adapted from Southern Living Magazine)
Makes: 8 pumpkins
Hands-on time: 30 minutes
Total time: 1 Hour, 45 mins
Ingredients:
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350*. Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Stir in pumpkin and vanilla.
2. In a separate bowl, combine flour and next 4 dry ingredients; gradually add to butter mixture, beating at low speed just until blended. Spoon batter into 2 lightly greased pumpkin-shaped muffin pans, filling three-fourths full.
Tip* For this I used a mini bunt cake pan...and it didn't turn out quite like I wanted it to, but it still worked. So I would suggest finding the pumpkin shaped pans to get the best results. These can be found at Michael's, and I saw one that was specifically pumpkin at Wal Mart, but it only makes one at a time and it is a little larger. To fill the pans, I put the batter into a pastry bag with a large tip; it was easy to fill the bunt pan and was not as messy.
3. Bake at 350 for 24 to 26 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove from pans to wire rack, and cool completely (about 30 mins).
*for mini bunt cake pans, bake for 17-20 minutes.
4. Cut rounded tops off muffins to make them flat. Invert top muffins onto bottom muffins, forming pumpkins. Drizzle Caramel Glaze over pumpkins. Decorate with caramel stems and leaves, if desired.
Caramel-Rum Glaze
Makes about 1 1/2 cups
hands-on time: 15 mins
Total time: 15 mins
Ingredients:
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup evaporated milk
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1 tbsp. rum*
* This is optional. I didn't put rum in my glaze, and it was still delicious!
Directions:
1. Bring first 3 ingredients to a boil in a 2-qt. saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly; boil, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Remove from heat; gradually whisk in powdered sugar and rum (optional) until smooth. Whisk gently 3 to 5 minutes or until mixture begins to cool and thicken slightly. Use immediately.
There is also another
Vanialla Glaze that can be substituted for the Caramel Rum glaze.
Ingredients:
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 tsp. Vanilla extract
3 to 4 tbsp. milk
1. Stir together first 2 ingredients and 3 Tbsp. milk, adding up to 1 Tbsp. additional milk for desired consistency. Use immediately.
