 my daughter, Beth * 3rd birthday * October 3, 1974
|  mini pumpkin cakes * Preppy Kitchen (Pinterest) * October 2, 2018 |
I made these individual mini PUMPKIN CAKES for my daughter Beth's 3rd birthday. And, she's still a "pumpkin person" ~ you know... one of those people who counts down the days until Starbuck's releases their Pumpkin Spice Lattes each Fall! Her Fall & Pumpkin decor goes up the last week of August! .... but back to the cake...
"Back in the day", I made her cakes in my egg-shaped cupcake pan and stood them on end. "Fancy" bundt cake pans weren't out yet in 1974 ~ but it would be much easier to do them now with a mini bundt cake pan instead (the little ridges down the side are already in the cake, so you don't have to form them with your finger in the icing ~ and they'll stand up better). I also included a photo from Preppy Kitchen (Pinterest ~ October, 1918, so obviously decades after my original photo) so that you can see them better than my 50-yr-old faded photo.
MINI PUMPKIN CAKES
Nonstick cooking spray
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour…………………….1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1-1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice………………….…1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt……………………………………….1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter, softened……….…1 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar………….…...3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs………………………………………..1 can (15 oz.) Pumpkin
FROSTING
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract…………………………..1/2 tsp. orange extract
1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, room temperature
1 stick (8 TB) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 to 2-1/2 cups powdered sugar…………………3-5 drops orange food coloring
TIP: I like the NEON food coloring that comes in 4 little tubes in a box, near the other food coloring best.
GARNISH: Pretzel rods ~ Green decorator icing (in tubes)
***
PREHEAT oven to 350° F. Spray two 6-cavity mini-fluted tube pans with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside
(1) COMBINE flour, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking powder, salt and baking soda in medium bowl. (2) Beat butter and both sugars in electric mixer for 2-3 minutes. Add eggs; beat well. (3) Add pumpkin and vanilla extract; beat well. Gradually beat in flour mixture. (4) Spoon evenly into prepared cavities (about 1/2 cup batter in each). Gently tap pan on counter to release air bubbles.
BAKE for 16-20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans on racks for 10 minutes ~ then invert onto racks to cool completely. If necessary, carefully cut bottoms off all cakes (with long serrated knife), so cut surface is level/flat.
FROSTING
BEAT cream cheese, softened butter, food coloring and extracts in large mixer bowl until smooth. Gradually beat in powdered sugar. Spread 1 TB frosting over the cut side of 6 cakes to about 1/4" of edge (including OVER THE HOLE in the middle). Put the other 6 cakes on top of the frosting.
FROST the entire little pumpkins with the rest of the frosting. When you have a good coat of frosting on them, I like to add a few extra drops of orange food coloring to (hopefully) 1/2 to 3/4 cup frosting left in the bowl. Then spread that in vertical lines down the pumpkin to create shadows for the ridges (if the frosting is thick enough, you can create actual ridges in it with your fingers). PRETZEL RODS make good stems ~ You can pipe LEAVES with a tube of green decorator icing.
Makes 6 mini pumpkin cakes
NOTE: If you have the EGG-shaped pans and want to use those instead ~ you will need to chill the "eggs" after you "glue" the halves together with some frosting. Then, you may even need to put a toothpick through them, so they stay together when you frost the entire pumpkin. You'll stand them on end (bigger end on the bottom), and will need to cut a very thin slice off the bottom first so it's level. Then frost heavily, so that you can form ridges in the frosting. ** The egg-shaped pans make really cute Easter egg cakes ~ and you can also make FOOTBALLS with them. You can find either of these pans on eBay at really good prices.
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