With the leaves changing colors and Halloween coming up I felt like trying out some pumpkin desserts. I didn't have any recipes so I checked out one of my favorite blogs, skinnytaste and tried out these two recipes: Pumpkin Spice Cookies with Chocolate Glaze and Pumpkin Cupcakes with Pumpkin Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting. Everyone who tried these really liked them. The cookies especially were a big hit. Check out the recipes below:
Pumpkin Spice Cookies with Chocolate Glaze
Ingredients
4 oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp pumpkin spice
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
For the chocolate glaze:
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 Tbsp milk
1/8 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350. Line baking sheet with silicone mat.
2. In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese, butter, and sugars together until light and fluffy. Add egg, beat well. Mix in pumpkin, buttermilk, and vanilla.
3. In another bowl, combine flour, spice, baking soda, salt, and baking powder. Gradually add to pumpkin mixture. Mix well.
4. Drop by round tablespoonfuls, 2 inches apart onto silicone lined baking sheet. Bake 12-14 minutes or until golden. Cool on wire rack.
5. For the glaze: Whisk the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, milk, vanilla, and salt in a bowl. Place in a ziplock bag. Seal the bag and but the point off of one corner and drizzle onto cookies.
Tip: Don't feel like buying buttermilk for just one recipe, use this alternative.
Pumpkin Cupcakes with Pumpkin Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Betty Crocker Golden Vanilla or French Vanilla Super Moist Cake Mix
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 cup water
For the cream cheese frosting:
8 oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese softened
1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
5 Tbsp packed brown sugar
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350. Line a cupcake tin with cupcake wrappers.
2. Combine cake mix and pumpkin spice in a large bowl. Add pumpkin puree and water. Mix for about 2 minutes.
3. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full and bake about 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
4. For the frosting, combine the cream cheese, pumpkin, vanilla, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and brown sugar until smooth. Use a spatula to put the icing on the cupcakes.
Tip: These cupcakes are good enough without the frosting if you're looking for something more muffin-like rather than cake-like.
Credit goes to skinnytaste for both these delicious recipes.
In the spirit of St. Patrick's Day, I tried out this recipe that I found online. So use your leftover Guinness and try it out:
Ingredients
1 cup Guinness
1/2 cup butter, cubed
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup baking cocoa
2 eggs, beaten
2/3 cup sour cream
3 tsp vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
Topping:
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
Directions
1. Grease 9-in springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper; set aside.
2. In a small saucepan, heat beer and butter until butter is melted.
3. Remove from the heat; whisk in sugar and cocoa until blended.
4. Combine the eggs, sour cream and vanilla; whisk into beer mixture.
5. Combine flour and baking soda; whisk into beer mixture until smooth.
6. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Remove sides of pan.
7. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy.
8. Add powdered sugar and cream. Beat until smooth (do not over-beat).
9. Remove cake from the pan and place on a platter or cake stand.
10. Ice top of cake so that it resembles a frothy pint of beer. Refrigerate leftovers.
Emily's Thoughts
This recipe was fairly easy and delicious. A bunch of my friends tried it and liked it. And I don't own a springform pan, so I just used a round 9-in cake pan. This worked out just fine because I greased it really well before pouring the batter into it. After taking the cake out of the oven, I used a knife to cut around the edges and then let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack before removing it from the pan.
Credit for this recipe goes to Taste of Home.
