Brown Butter Pumpkin Spice Cake

"Cooking is like painting or writing a song. Just as there are only so many notes or colors. There are only so many flavors-it's how you combine them that sets you apart." Wolfgang Puck For the past several years someone predicts there will be a canned pumpkin puree shortage. Whether or not this sets off a nationwide canned pumpkin hoarding frenzy is anyone's guess, as there is rarely a news segment showing a stampede of people running through the canned good aisles of the grocery store grabbing what precious few cans remain. Rarely have the shelves in my grocery stores been empty, leaving me to wonder why I continue to believe this yearly hype (gullible should have been my middle name). But it's doubtful an inventory of six cans of pumpkin puree would put me in the hoarding category. 

Once fall arrives I seem to have some kind of internal clock setting off an insatiable craving for the flavor of pumpkin. Pumpkin squares, pumpkin pie, brûléed pumpkin pie, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin donuts, and pumpkin cake have been my go-to favorites. Being one of a handful of people in the world not falling into the 'drinks coffee regularly' category, I have yet to jump on the pumpkin spice latte bandwagon to get my pumpkin fix. If the day ever comes when canned pumpkin really does become scare, there might be a barista at Starbucks who will become my new best friend.

The end of October was looming and I had yet to bake any of my favorite pumpkin desserts. Considering how much canned pumpkin puree I had in stock, I needed to get moving. Originally I had planned to make a Pumpkin Spice Cake with Caramel Frosting, an untested recipe I had apparently cut out of a newspaper years ago (if you only knew how many of these newspaper and magazine cut-outs I have accumulated over the years, enough for someone to whisper 'hoarder'). Yet the more I looked at the recipe, there was something about it that wasn't sitting right with me. But I was bound and determined to make a 'new' Pumpkin Spice Cake so I set off on a cake hunting expedition. After going through some cookbooks, newspaper clippings, and old magazines, my eyes and taste buds were drawn to the Brown Butter Pumpkin Layer Cake shared in an old issue of Fine Cooking (it is would be sacrilegious to throw them away). I had the need to have my hunch about the cake confirmed. So I did what many of us do and looked to see if there were any on-line reviews for this cake. And indeed there were. Seeing it had an average rating of four stars was all of the validation I needed. However, even after reading some of the reviews I thought there needed to be a few minor tweaks to the recipe. Like a little more spice and definitely more frosting. 

Let me momentarily gush over this Brown Butter Pumpkin Spice Cake. Seriously, it may be the best two layer pumpkin cake I have ever eaten in my entire life. And I have lived a relatively long life thus far. This cake is dense, yet moist. The adjustment in the amount and types of spices created an incredibly flavorful, spice balanced perfect cake. The frosting was insanely delicious and complimented the cake beautifully (for those of you who are thinking of making your own tweaks to frosting recipe, considering leaving out the brown sugar, you would be making a BIG mistake. Just saying). The texture and taste of candied pecans and pepitas skyrocketed to a new level with the addition of crystallized ginger in the topping is pure heaven. If by any chance you are not deliriously happy after taking one bite of this cake or if you can resist the urge to have a second piece, then maybe you have had one too many pumpkin lattes and your taste buds have been permanently numbed. Okay, that wasn't very nice. Forgive me, but I am not taking it back.

The brown butter is what sets this Pumpkin Spice Cake apart from all others. The original recipe called for the use of cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cloves and table salt. This modified version added ground nutmeg, increased the amount of cinnamon (from 1 1/2 teaspoons to 2 teaspoons) and used kosher salt. The Fine Cooking recipe gave the option of making the pumpkin puree from scratch, but  honestly there are some things not worth the extra time and effort. Or I have yet to be totally convinced this is one of them. 

The cake batter comes together in a bowl (no mixer required) with the use of both a whisk and spatula. The result is a very thick, luscious batter.

The best way to ensure your prepared nine inch cake pans contain the exact amounts of batter is to use a scale. Not only does this almost guarantee your cakes will go and come out of the oven at the same time, your finished cake (especially if you make a naked version) looks 'bakery' perfect. If you don't have a scale, check the level of the batter using a toothpick.

The cakes bake in a preheated 350 degree (F) oven for 28-35 minutes or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. As a general rule, oven racks should be placed in the middle of the oven and both baking pans should be placed on the same rack.

I glossed over the directions for making the brown sugar cream frosting because, like, how or why would it be different than most other cream cheese frostings? Well it was. I made the frosting using room temperature butter instead of brown butter. But honestly, I loved the flavor, fluffiness, and creaminess of the frosting using just 'room temperature' butter. 

Once the cakes have cooled to room temperature you can frost them. I strongly recommend either increasing by 50% or doubling the amount of frosting, even if you choose to do a naked-like version shown in this post. 

You have two assembly options for this Pumpkin Spice Cake. The first is to arrange all of the topping mixture on the top of the cake (as shown here). The second is to divide the topping mixture, spreading half on the first layer and arranging the other half on the top layer.

If you make this cake the day before serving and if you choose the option of only putting the topping on top of the cake, you can make the topping the day you serve the cake. 

The directions for the cake, frosting, and topping are lengthy. For once, length and difficulty are not synonymous. This is a very easy cake to make. But unlike me, read through the directions before you start baking.

You don't have to wait for a dinner party, a birthday party, a holiday, a wedding, a luncheon, informal gathering, or celebration of any kind to make this cake. In other words, no reason is necessary. Well I take that back. Just in case this 'crying wolf for years' canned pumpkin puree shortage turns out to come to fruition (and you are not one to make your own), you absolutely must be able to taste this cake, this year. Sooner rather than later.

With the foodisphere filled with an over abundance of pumpkin recipes this week, you may find it hard to choose amongst them. Or maybe you already have your favorite sweet or savory pumpkin recipe, one you too have been putting off making for all sorts of reasons. So let me help make that choice easier for you. Choose this one. Call it your destiny. As this Brown Butter Pumpkin Spice Cake is going to be your most favorite, most requested cake without any regard for the season. Lobster rolls and  Brown Butter Pumpkin Spice Cake could be all the rage next summer.

Recipe
Brown Butter Pumpkin Spice Cake (several adaptations to Fine Cooking's Brown Butter Pumpkin Layer Cake, Issue 107)

Serves 8-12, depending on how you slice it

Ingredients
Cake
1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree (from a 15 ounce can) Note: Measure out the puree as there will be more than 1 1/2 cups of puree.
6 ounces (3/4 cup) unsalted butter
9 ounces (2 cups) all-purpose flour (recommend King Arthur)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/3 cup buttermilk

Topping
1 1/2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2/3 cup pecan halves
1/2 cup pepitas (salted or unsalted) Note: I use salted pepitas.
2 Tablespoons light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 1/2 Tablespoons chopped crystallized ginger

Frosting (recommend increasing by 50% or doubling)
4 ounces (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
5 ounces (1 1/4 cups) confectionary sugar, sifted

Directions
Cake
1. Position rack in center of oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Butter and flour or spray with cooking spray two 9-inch round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, butter and/or spray parchment paper. Set aside.
2. Melt butter in a heavy duty 1 quart saucepan over medium heat. Cook, swirling the pan occasionally until the butter turns a nutty golden-brown (about 4-5 minutes). Pour into a heatproof bowl and let stand until cool, but not set (about 10-15 minutes).
3. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and set. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups of pumpkin puree, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs and buttermilk until well blended.
5. Using a rubber spatula, stir in the flour mixture until just combined.
6. Gently whisk in the cooled brown butter until completely incorporated. Note: Batter is very thick.
7. Divide batter evenly between the two prepared pas.
8. Bake for 28-35 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
9. Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes. Turn cakes out onto racks, remove parchment paper and cool completely.

Topping
1. Melt the butter in a heavy duty non-stick 12 inch skillet over medium heat.
2. Add pecans and pepitas. Cook until the pecans brown slightly (about 2 minutes).
3. Sprinkle in brown sugar and salt, stirring until sugar melts and the nuts are glazed (about 2 minutes)
4. Stir in chopped ginger. Remove from heat. Transfer mixture to a piece of parchment paper and allow to cool.

Frosting
1. Using a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together the butter, cream cheese and brown sugar on medium speed until the mixture is light in color and brown sugar has dissolved (about 2 minutes).
2. Gradually beat in sifted confectionary sugar. Continue beating until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes).

Assembly
1. Put on cake layer on cake plate or platter.
2. Spread almost half of the frosting on the layer. Note: Can also use a pastry bag and offset spatula.
3. Place second layer on. Frost top of cake with the same amount of frosting used on the first layer. 
4. Thinly spread remaining frosting on sides of cake.
5. Arrange the topping on the top of the cake and serve.

Notes:
1. Assembled, frosted cake can be covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Remove from the refrigerator at least 1 hour before serving.
2. Topping can be divided equally between the bottom and top layers or sprinkled completely over the top layer.
3. If completely frosting the cake, double the amount of frosting ingredients. 

Autumn in Rockford, Illinois.

Brown Butter Caramelized Apple Crisp

After an unusually humid, gray October Saturday in the midwest, Sunday was sunny and crisp. One of those perfect fall days. The leaves on the trees are almost at peak. The rich tapestry of colors in the landscape are so beautiful I could almost cry. If it weren't for the running path's autumnal views on Saturday morning, the short three mile run would have felt more like a marathon, one with rolling hills and steep elevations. In just two weeks, I will be running my second 5k race this year. It has been five months since I ran the first one, the amount of time it has taken me to recover from a stress fracture in my leg. Ten weeks ago when I returned to my running group I was walking as much as I was running. Gradually, my running time increased while my walking time decreased. While I may never run at the same speed (which wasn't really fast) or the same distances (not sure I have another marathon left in me) as I did years ago, I am getting closer to again considering myself a 'runner'. Of the many decisions I have regretted over the years, giving up running ranks pretty high up on the list. Fortunately though, I have been able to reverse that 'bad' decision.

My plan this week was to post the recipes for a Sweet and Spicy Ragu and a Brown Butter Pumpkin Spice Cake. But after making this Brown Butter Caramelized Apple Crisp (twice in the past week), I changed my plan. Decided it would be a much better decision to make this pre-Halloween week a 'dessert' and 'brown butter' blog posting one. As excited as I am to share this crisp recipe with you (and I am pretty gosh darn excited), I can hardly wait to share the pumpkin spice cake recipe. 

The first time the Brown Butter Caramelized Apple Crisp I added oatmeal to the topping, the second time I had inadvertently left it out. As much as I really liked both versions, going forward I will definitely leave out the oatmeal as it was a distraction to the flavors of the toasted walnuts and english toffee bits in the topping. In the words of my apple crisp aficionado friend, the crisp without the oatmeal was declared 'crisp perfection'. After hearing such high praise, I secretly hoped the taste of the crisp would be enough to override or at least help to minimize the memory of the crisp making chaos I had caused in her kitchen a couple hours earlier.

I will go out on a limb and say there doesn't seem to be one apple unanimously declared as perfect for a crisp. Flavor, texture, and personal preference seem to influence which apple is recommended. I love using an apple having an intense sweet-tart flavor and the ability to hold its' shape when baked. In other words I am not big fan of apples that turn to mush. At the moment, my current hands down favorite is the Granny Smith.

The rich, nutty taste of brown butter significantly enhances the flavor of pretty much everything. It's transformational, almost magical quality begins when you start melting the butter over medium heat. To ensure the butter browns evenly, swirl the pan often. The butter will begin to foam as it melts while its' color will progress from a 'lemony-yellow to golden-tan to a toasty brown'. Once you begin to smell a nutty aroma, remove the pan from the heat and/or transfer to a heat-proof bowl. 

The thickly cut apple slices are first tossed with the brown butter and fresh lemon juice your baking pan/dish. The coated apples are then tossed with a cinnamon-sugar-flour mixture before being covered in the toasted walnut-english toffee bit topping.

The Brown Butter Caramelized Apple Crisp is placed in a preheated 350 degree (F) oven. Baking time ranges from 45-55 minutes. Baking time is affected by where you place the crisp in the oven (longer baking time if baked in the center of the oven, shorter if baked in the bottom) as well as how your oven bakes.

The crisp is done when the topping is a deep golden brown, the apples are tender when pierced with a knife, and the cooking liquid is thickened and bubbling. If serving immediately, allow the crisp to set for 10-20 minutes. If serving within 2-3 hours of baking, lightly cover with aluminum foil and a heavy towel. 

Slightly softened vanilla ice cream is the proverbial 'icing on the cake'. In other words, it is not optional.  However, lightly dusting the baked crisp with confectionary sugar is. If you have not yet made a baked apple dessert this season, make this one. It really is 'crisp perfection'. It's definitely my new favorite way to eat a baked apple. Another reason to keep running. And for those of you with pie making phobias, the Brown Butter Caramelized Apple Crisp may keep you from ever having to deal with them.

Recipe
Brown Butter Caramelized Apple Crisp (more than a slight change to the Caramelized Apple Toffee Crisp recipe printed in the Chicago Tribune, December 2005)

Ingredients
Base of Crisp
3 - 3 1/2 pounds Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into 3/8"-1/2" slices (approximately 6 to 7 large apples)
5 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, browned and cooled slightly
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of sea salt

Topping
1 cup walnut halves, toasted in oven, then chopped
8 Tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 cup english toffee bits (recommend Heath Bits'O Brickle Toffee Bits)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of sea salt

Vanilla Ice Cream
Optional Garnish: Sifted confectionary sugar

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).
2. In a medium sized bowl, mix together chopped walnuts, butter, flour, light brown sugar, toffee bits, cinnamon and salt until mixture resembles coarse meal. Set aside.
2. Mix apple slices, browned butter and lemon juice in a deep 9"x12" baking dish or cast iron pan until apples are coated. In a small bowl, mix together sugar, all-purpose flour, cinnamon and sea sat until blended. Add sugar mixture and toss to coat apples.
3. Top buttered/sugared apples with walnut/toffee bit mixture.
4. Bake for 45-55 minutes until apples are tender, topping has browned, and juices are thickened/bubbling. 
5. Remove from oven. Allow to set 10-20 minutes before serving with vanilla ice cream.
Optional finish: Sprinkle with sifted confectionary sugar.

Notes: Crisp can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Cover loosely with aluminum foil and a heavy towel to keep warm. If crisp sits out longer than 2 hours, can rewarm in a 350 degree (F) preheated oven for 15 minutes.

Horses grazing in a northern Illinois pasture.

Double Dipped Peanut Butter Balls

Feelings of nostalgia seem to intensify once October arrives and remain until shortly after the Thanksgiving holiday. No longer can I tell you how long it has been since my father has passed, as it simultaneously feels like a life time ago and only yesterday. Had fate not intervened, he would have turned 85 this month. In retrospect he was the first and quite possibly the most favorite, heroic figure in my life. To this day, his character, kindness, unconditional (and mostly unspoken) love, and work ethic remain the standards to which I have often compared the other men who have or have had a place of significance in my life. I have sought to internalize his best qualities as a way of ensuring he remains a presence in my life. As I may have shared before, he was the one who cooked all of the Sunday and holiday dinners. Because he had a bit of a sweet tooth, there would often be dessert. Sometimes cookies, sometimes cake. Sometimes store-bought, sometimes homemade.

Sometimes there was a discernible visual difference between the store-bought and homemade desserts. But there was always another, more signification distinction between the two. Growing up I didn't really understand why I preferred the homemade poppy seed cake (the one with not enough frosting) to the store-bought chocolate cake with chocolate frosting (and I loved chocolate). As I got older I realized there was an intangible quality I tasted in the first bite. Love is felt in many ways, but almost nothing compares to the taste of homemade love. And I have my father to thank for helping me to learn early on that there is a nuance to food that cannot be bought. 

In an effort to try to bring some order to the two large bins filled with recipes, I re-discovered the Peanut Butter Balls handwritten recipe card. One given to me more than thirty years ago and one I probably haven't made in about the same amount of time. There was a time, believe it or not, when candies dipped in chocolate called for the use of paraffin. Yes, paraffin, otherwise known as candle wax. I haven't quite figured out why this particular recipe card caught my attention, but it immediately went into the 'must make, with revisions' pile. And as if you hadn't guessed already, this time they would made without any paraffin.

Other than using some of my favorite melting chocolates (the ones from a local chocolatier as well from Ghiradelli), I made only two other ingredient changes. The addition of some sea salt and sprinkles. Who knows, maybe thirty years from now sprinkles will be considered passé. But I hope not!

Maybe thirty years ago stand mixers weren't as common of a kitchen tool as they are these days. But for thick dough confections, like these Double Dipped Peanut Butter Balls, they are lifesavers.

There may have been some ahead of their time home cooks out there using ice cream scoops to get uniform balls of dough, but early on in my 'cooking life' I wasn't one of them. Next to my kitchen aid, I think I couldn't live without them. 

The original recipe did not call for chilling the balls of dough or double dipping them. This version does. Chilling the dough allows the chocolate to set up faster in the first dip, making it easy to do the second dip while the bowl of melted chocolate remains tempered enough. 

Once I made the decision to add sprinkles to these Double Dipped Peanut Butter Balls, I realized it would have been easier if their were four hands instead of two making them. But I managed.

After the second dipping, I like to dip a fork into the remaining melted chocolate and swipe over the dipped chocolates to create what I call that 'candy store' finish. This is optional, but it is the step that enabled me to get the sprinkles to stick.

Once the chocolate sets, remove the Double Dipped Peanut Butter Balls from the parchment paper and place in paper cups.

I brought them to my running group last Saturday. While I was certainly hoping everyone was going to like them, they received higher rave reviews than I anticipated. And they weren't just being nice!

Yes, these are way better than those peanut butter and chocolate store bought confections you find in the candy aisle. I could give you a list of reasons why, but I think I will give you only one. They have that added intangible quality of containing that essential ingredient called 'homemade' love. And really, could it possibly get any better than that? 

Recipe

Double Dipped Peanut Butter Balls (inspired by Barb Wayne's Peanut Butter Ball recipe)

Makes approximately 52-56 one inch sized candies

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups confectionary sugar
3 cups Rice Krispie cereal
16 ounces chunky or extra crunchy peanut butter (recommend JIF)
8 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 1/2 - 1 3/4 pounds of chocolate (milk, dark or mixture of milk and dark)
Optional: An assortment of sprinkles

Directions
1. Line a large baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. In a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix together confectionary sugar, salt, and peanut butter until you can no longer see the confectionary sugar.
3. Add slightly cooled butter and Rice Krispie Cereal. Mix until well blended.
4. Form peanut butter balls using a 1" in diameter ice cream scoop. Alternately use a tablespoon and roll into a ball shape. Place peanut butter balls on prepared baking sheet. Chill peanut butter balls for 15 minutes in the refrigerator.
5. Melt chocolate in either a double boiler or in the microwave.
6. Remove peanut balls from the refrigerator and dip (one at a time) into the melted chocolate using a fork. Note: The chocolate will harden relatively quickly if the balls are chilled.
7. After first dipping, turn peanut butter balls upside down and dip again, this time using your hands.
8. If using sprinkles, sprinkle on lightly before chocolate dries. 
9. Allow peanut butter balls to set completely.
10. Place in small paper cups and serve. Store in a sealed box or container.

Fish in the ponds at the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens.