Well, some of you may have noticed I’ve been a little awol over the past few weeks. After my fave octogenarians, the folks, moved into a gorgeous assisted living center, their house was settled and I came back to the Twin Cities – along with Homer & Chance, of course.
After all that time in South Dakota, it was really another move & it’s amazing how much work there was to do, here, at my sadly neglected house. But there’s nothing like home – and on the plus side? I already have plenty of cobwebs for Halloween!
In the fall, nothing says “home” to me more than the smell of Pumpkin Bread, Pumpkin Cake or Pumpkin Cookies in the oven. Pumpkin anything, really. I chose to make this Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Maple Bourbon Brown-Butter Glaze for my first post back, and this one is a winner for sure.
And speaking of home, did you know the Bundt pan was developed in the Twin Cities? “You betcha” it was.
I only very slightly adapted this recipe from the New York Times. It’s one stunner of a cake with just a mild spicing. To tell the truth, I was a bit skeptical of the amount of cardamom in the cake, but the flavors couldn’t have been better and it is such a nice little change from the ubiquitous Pumpkin Spice flavor.
NYT claims the cake is better on the second day; I can’t say because I made it the first day and glazed it on the second, so I didn’t try it on the first. Hope you’re proud of me for not digging right in before it was frosted, lol! I was glad I waited because that glaze is absolutely to die for. It really “makes” the cake. Who knew that 2 tablespoons of browned butter could add such depth.
I did have trouble with the consistency of the glaze. My solution? A touch of bourbon to play off the other flavors. So first the glaze was too thick, then too thin. My suggestion: turn over a small bowl and do a test with the drizzle. Scrape it off and return it to the glaze when you have it just right. Only then, glaze the cake.
Pumpkin Bundt Cake With Maple Bourbon Brown-Butter Glaze
FOR THE CAKE:
- 3 cups/384 grams all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 cups/440 grams light brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup/114 grams unsalted butter, soft but cool
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 (15-ounce) can/425 grams pumpkin purée
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
FOR THE GLAZE:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup/102 grams confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tablespoon bourbon (or water)
- 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped, toasted pecans
Heat oven to 350 degrees F, and butter and flour a 12-cup (or larger) capacity bundt pan.
In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cardamom, allspice and black pepper until well combined.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine brown sugar, butter and olive oil. Beat on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing for about 20 seconds in between each egg. Add the pumpkin purée and yogurt, and mix until well combined, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl as necessary.
Remove the bowl from the mixer, and use a rubber spatula to fold in the dry ingredients until well combined. Make sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl to ensure an evenly mixed batter.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top and firmly tap the pan on the countertop a few times to release any large air bubbles. Bake the cake until golden and puffed, and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 55 to 65 minutes.
Set the cake, still in its pan, on a rack to cool for 20 minutes, then use the tip of a knife to loosen the edges and invert the cake onto the rack to cool completely before glazing.
Make the glaze: Once the cake is cool, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook the butter, occasionally scraping the bottom and sides of the pan with a rubber spatula until it turns a deep golden brown and smells nutty. Don’t walk away from the pan during this process. The butter can go from brown and nutty to acrid and burnt in mere moments.
Transfer butter and all the brown bits from the pan to a heat-safe bowl, and let it cool slightly. Whisk in the confectioners’ sugar, maple syrup, a tablespoon of bourbon and salt until smooth. The glaze should be thick but pourable. If it’s too thin, add a bit more confectioners’ sugar. If it’s too thick, add a little more bourbon.
Transfer the cake to a serving platter and pour the glaze evenly over the top. Sprinkle with pecans. Let the glaze set for a few minutes before slicing.
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I’m sharing this recipe out at Fiesta Friday, hosted this week by Petra @ Food Eat Love and Vanitha @ Curry and Vanilla. Stop by Fiesta Friday and explore. Hint: I’m seeing some Halloween posts and Holiday baking!!
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