Pumpkin Butter

If you've never tasted pumpkin butter, you are surely missing out. It's similar to a jam or spread but made entirely of pureed pumpkin, some spices, and that's very nearly it.

This condiment can be enjoyed atop a piece of toast or a croissant. You can flavor oatmeal or any other hot cereal with a spoonful (as I have been every morning as the weather has gotten cooler). It can be added to cookie or cake batter for great pumpkin flavor or folded into cheesecake to create a seasonal pumpkin cheesecake. It can even complete a bowl of ice cream.

Pumpkin butter can be found in some grocery or specialty grocery stores during this season and is also available at a lot of local farm stands. These jars of spreadable goodness tend to be fairly pricey. After having bought a jar from an Amish village store on a recent trip to Lancaster, PA and noting the very simple list of ingredients on the side of the jar, I thought I'd give it a go, myself.

The result, which took a total of 10 minutes from start to finish, was a delicious, creamy, spread full of pumpkin love. Once cooked, it may be canned as you would normally can jams and stored for the upcoming holiday to give as gifts with a couple of crunchy baguettes or to include in your Thanksgiving breakfast spread.

Do try this cheaper and heartier homemade version. It's quick to prepare and packs a flavor punch!

Pumpkin Butter
(Created by Leelabean)

Yield: About 2 1/2 cups

1 can (15oz) pumpkin puree
1 1/2 c granulated sugar
2 t pumpkin pie spice
2 t apple cider vinegar
1/4 t lemon juice

Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and stir to combine. Heat over a medium low flame until mixture starts to boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer while stirring for 5 minutes until it thickens slightly. Turn off the heat and let cool. Keeps in an airtight container for up to 10 days in the refigerator.

Starbucks at Home

I wish I had a Starbucks bar complete with barista built into my home, at my beck and call 24-7. This is not an uncommon statement to profess, especially in the Fall when the seasonal drinks start resurfacing on their menu. Pumpkin spice lattes, salted caramel mochas (please do try one of these.. it's worth the hefty price tag, once in a while), gingerbread mochas, and peppermint hot chocolates have become some of my favorites over the years. Nothing goes better with these drinks, in my opinion, than one of their yummy pumpkin scones.
Perusing some of my favorite food and baking blogs, I came across a recipe for pumpkin scones that seemed to mimic the Starbucks ones right down to the double icing. It's easy to put together (I did so in about 10 minutes) and quick to bake (another 12 minutes or so), so a perfect fall morning treat with a nice steamy mug of coffee. For the price of one Starbucks pumpkin scone, you can make a whole batch.
These were delish. Give them a try.

Pumpkin Scones

(adapted from Sweet Pea's Kitchen)

Scones:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup + 3T granulated sugar
1 T baking powder
1/2 t salt
1 1/2 t pumpkin pie spice
6 T cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree
3 T heavy cream or half and half
1 large egg

Simple Icing:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 T milk

Spiced Icing:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 T milk
1/4 t pumpkin pie spice

Preheat your oven to 425F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper or a nonstick reusable liner such as a Silpat. In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and pumpkin pie spice. Add the butter and use a pastry cutter or your fingers to break the butter into smaller pieces and incorporate it into the dry mixture until it resembles a coarse cornmeal consistency. You want small lumps of butter running throughout.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, heavy cream and egg. Gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until you have made a roughly-shaped ball. On a floured surface, turn out the ball and pat it to make a 4"x12" rectangle. Cut the rectangle into thirds and then cut an X into each third, leaving you with 12 triangular scones. Place them on the lined baking tray and bake for about 12 - 15 minutes. You want a light browning on these scones. Be sure not to overbake as they will dry out. When the scones come out of the oven, let them cool for about 20 minutes before adding the icing.
Make the icing: To make the simple icing, whisk the ingredients together in a small bowl. For the spiced icing, do the same in a separate bowl.
Once the scones are cooled, dip them into the simple icing or use a pastry brush to brush the icing on. Let the icing harded for a few minutes. Then take a fork, dip it into the spiced icing, and lightly drizzle it over your scones. Let the icing set for a few minutes and voila - pumpkin scones a la Starbucks, only better. Oh, and these are completely freezable, iced and all! Just microwave them for 15 seconds at a time at 70% until warm. Enjoy!

Pumpkin love...

(Amended: *Recipe included, below*)

Two things come to mind when I come upon fall - apples and pumpkins... Aside from how beautiful each is in their own right, I absolutely LOVE baking with them, as you probably figured by now. Apple and pumpkin pies, breads, cakes... Mmmmm, just the thought. Well, I've eagerly started fall baking for this year and am bringing to you, this week, an absolutely heartwarming pumpkin cupcake. It's warm and cozy especially with a warm beverage - a hot latte, steaming mug of hot chocolate, or a comforting cup of tea.
The cupcake is a ginger pumpkin cupcake with little nuggets of crystallized ginger suspended throughout. I've topped it with a delicious spiced cream cheese buttercream - it's a buttercream because I've significantly cut back on the amount of cream cheese added to the frosting, so it's just got a hint of cream cheesiness. It's my new favorite cream cheese frosting! It's spiced with cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. I've topped the cupcake with a hit of butterscotch. Together, these flavors round out the season! It's a taste of Autumn in each bite..

Pumpkin Ginger Cupcakes & Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting

(Adapted from Elinor Klivans' cupcakes!)

Cakes:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

4 T unsalted butter, melted and cooled

4 T canola or vegetable oil

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup sugar

1 cup canned pumpkin

3 large eggs, room temperature

1/4 cup crystallized ginger, small dice

Frosting:

1 stick unsalted butter

1/4 tsp salt

3 oz cream cheese, room temperature

1 tsp vanilla

3 cups powdered sugar

2 T milk or cream

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

Set oven to 325F. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and ginger in a bowl. Using an electric or handheld mixer, blend the butter, oil, vanilla, sugar, and pumpkin until the mixture is fully combined. Add the eggs and crystallized ginger. Once incorporated, slowly add the dry ingredients until just combined.

Fill each cupcake liner with 1/4 cup of batter and place in the center of the oven for about 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a cupcake comes out clean.

While the cupcakes are baking, make the frosting. Beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth and uniform. Add the salt, vanilla, spices, and 3 cups of powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time. Adust the consistency of the frosting with the milk or cream. Beat for 2 minutes.

When the cupcakes come out of the oven, leave them to cool completely. Then frost them with the frosting.