Unexpected Food Gifts - #1 Cake Mix
Although I've stopped buying cake mixes, a couple of weeks ago my nephew dropped off a couple of food items from my SIL and THIS was one of them.
I wanted to use them up as quickly as possible for various reasons and started with the cake mix.
Remembering that last cup of pumpkin puree in my freezer, I though I'd combine it with a few other items from my pantry and came up with a pumpkin cake with cranberries and walnuts. The cake wasn't too sweet, as the recipe I found on line, which used a cake mix, neglected to add additional sugar to compensate for the pumpkin puree, so I knew I needed to add a frosting or glaze of some sort. I was inspired by Zsuzsa's spice cupcakes which had a penuche glaze drizzled over the top, but I wanted something with a bit more substance to it, that I could pipe ... although, at the end, I didn't bother, just smeared the frosting over the cooled cake.
Additional ingredients
The batter was very pretty before I added the cranberries and walnuts.
The finished cupcakes and cake loaf really need some decoration
Glazed Cupcakes - penuche frosting and chocolate coated cocoa nib
Penuche Frosting - enough frosting for 24 cupcakes
Recipe from "Cooking Classy" located here.
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup half-and-half or whipping cream (which I used)
1 pinch salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups powdered sugar
1-2 tbsp hot water
Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in brown sugar and salt and bring mixture just to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Stir in half-and-half and bring mixture just to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove mixture from heat and stir in vanilla.
Allow mixture to cool to warm (original recipe states "lukewarm" but I found warm worked better) then beat in powdered sugar. Add hot water as needed to thin frosting out 1 tablespoon at a time. Immediately spread frosting over cooled cake/cupcakes before it sets.
I wanted to use them up as quickly as possible for various reasons and started with the cake mix.
Remembering that last cup of pumpkin puree in my freezer, I though I'd combine it with a few other items from my pantry and came up with a pumpkin cake with cranberries and walnuts. The cake wasn't too sweet, as the recipe I found on line, which used a cake mix, neglected to add additional sugar to compensate for the pumpkin puree, so I knew I needed to add a frosting or glaze of some sort. I was inspired by Zsuzsa's spice cupcakes which had a penuche glaze drizzled over the top, but I wanted something with a bit more substance to it, that I could pipe ... although, at the end, I didn't bother, just smeared the frosting over the cooled cake.
Additional ingredients
The batter was very pretty before I added the cranberries and walnuts.
The finished cupcakes and cake loaf really need some decoration
Glazed Cupcakes - penuche frosting and chocolate coated cocoa nib
Penuche Frosting - enough frosting for 24 cupcakes
Recipe from "Cooking Classy" located here.
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup half-and-half or whipping cream (which I used)
1 pinch salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups powdered sugar
1-2 tbsp hot water
Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in brown sugar and salt and bring mixture just to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Stir in half-and-half and bring mixture just to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove mixture from heat and stir in vanilla.
Allow mixture to cool to warm (original recipe states "lukewarm" but I found warm worked better) then beat in powdered sugar. Add hot water as needed to thin frosting out 1 tablespoon at a time. Immediately spread frosting over cooled cake/cupcakes before it sets.