Pumpkin Bread and Pumpkin Butter Cream Frosting

Pumpkin Bread with Pumpkin Butter Cream

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
2 large eggs
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar (You can substituted light brown sugar)
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest (I omitted this)
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest (I left this out, too)
1/2 cup canola oil
1 1/4 cups canned pure pumpkin puree
1/2 cup chopped, toasted pecans or walnuts, optional (I didn’t add the nuts to the batter, but sprinkled them on top of the frosted loaf instead)
Position your oven rack in the middle of the oven, and preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 x 5″ loaf pan; set aside.

Directions:
Combine flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and allspice in a medium bowl and whisk until thoroughly combined; set aside.

In another bowl, or bowl of an electric mixer, beat eggs on medium-high speed for two minutes or until lightened in color. Add the brown sugar, mixing for about 2 minutes, then the granulated sugar, mixing for about 1 minute. Add the orange and lemon zests, if using, and beat for another minute. Scrape down the bowl as needed.

Drizzle in the canola oil with beater on medium-low. Reduce speed to low and add the pumpkin puree. Mix until thoroughly combined. Add the dry ingredients in two additions and blend for 10-15 seconds just until incorporated. Fold in the pecans using a rubber spatula.

Spoon the batter into your prepared loaf pan and bake for 60-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool loaf in pan for 10 to 15 minutes, then remove and cool completely on a wire rack.

If you’re going to frost the loaf, you can make the frosting while the loaf is cooling…

PUMPKIN BUTTER CREAM FROSTING
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
2 Tablespoons canned pure pumpkin puree
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons half & half or milk
1/4 to 1/3 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, optional, for sprinkling on top
Cream the butter, pumpkin puree, cinnamon, and vanilla, blending well. Add powdered sugar a cup at a time, blending well after each addition. Add half & half or milk and blend well. NOTE: This makes a very thick butter cream frosting. If you want a thinner, creamier frosting, add more half & half or milk until you get the desired consistency.

After frosting the cooled pumpkin loaf, sprinkle with chopped pecans or walnuts if desired.

http://nancycreative.com/2011/12/06/pumpkin-bread-with-pumpkin-buttercream/

Forsting Hints

 

Dust Cakes w/ Powered Sugar 

When my mother used to have friends over in the evening she wanted to serve a snack (cake and coffee) but most of them were elderly and would turn down the cake because of the frosting.

The problem was solved by using a round single layer cake. Buy 8-inch doilies, place a doily on top of the cake, and sprinkled it lightly with confectioner's sugar. Remove the doily and you have a lacy design on the cake without all of the icing. By Clynnaltemus from  FL

 Flavored Icing

Here is a tip when having to prepare a quick powdered sugar frosting, whether your recipe is homemade or store bought. I take a spoonful of Jello powder and add it to the beginning mix. You get your flavor and color. I buy my basic flavors, open the box and put into a jelly jar. I find generic does not color or flavor as well as the name brand Jello.

For the extra step to be prepared, spin the jello powder in the blender/bullet, etc for superfine. I can make a whole 2 lb. powdered sugar recipe and separate into small tupperware bowls, add the color and flavor wanted and then store in fridge several months.

Whether needing to pipe some cupcakes, or a quick swish on a cookie, I got it ready. I have a special chocolate bourbon cupcake recipe that either raspberry and orange are delicious with. By Grandma J

 EASY FROSTING TIP

 Lemon juice and some powdered sugar will make a nice glaze for a plain cake or quick bread. Just put a cup of sifted powdered sugar and a teaspoon of lemon juice in a bowl. Mix together and add drops of water or more juice until a thick but runny consistency is achieved.

Make cream-cheese frosting by mixing a package of cream cheese with 1-2 cups of powdered sugar, adding a few drops of milk at a time to get the desired consistency. Flavor with vanilla, orange peel, or cocoa powder. Make a pumpkin frosting by omitting the milk and adding canned pumpkin, a tablespoon at a time, and a little pumpkin pie spice. More sugar may be needed because of the extra moisture from the pumpkin.

For a less sugary frosting use chilled chocolate pudding (or any other flavor) on your cake. By Jennifer from  NY

 FREEZE CAKE BEFORE FROSTING

 When frosting a cake with a rubber spatula, first dip in some warm water then proceed to frost. It helps apply smoothly and and preventing little pieces of the cake from coming off. Reapply the dipping method as needed. Source: My mother taught me this years and years ago. By Joycean from  MASS

 CHOCOLATE CHIPS MELTED

 Sprinkle chocolate chips on your cake/cupcakes just a few minutes before they are done. Then just spread the chocolate across the top after they are melted and the cake is baked. Easy frosting! By Robin from  IA

 CREAM CHEESE ICING TIP

 How do you get cream cheese icing (frosting) to stiffen up? It always ends up running off my cake.

Firstly, try chilling your cake. After it cools, put it in the frige for about an hour. Next use 4 ounces cream cheese, 1/2 t lemon juice, 1/2 t vanilla, and as much powdered sugar as needed to make a god stiff frosting. Bring the cream cheese to room temperature, then whip everything together. By Shosha

 Every time I try to make my own icing it seems fine in the bowl and fine as soon as I frost the cupcakes, but then I will look back and then frosting will be running down the sides of my cupcakes! What do I do to keep my frosting from doing this?

 Are you absolutely sure the cupcakes are completely cool before you ice them? If they are warm at all, it will cause the icing to melt.

When you buy cake frosting from the store, whip it with your mixer for a few minutes. You can double the size and frost more cake or cupcakes with same amount. This also helps stretch the sugar and calories! Check out ThriftyFun for more frosting tips! http://tinyurl.com/pkfb2gn

Vanilla Cake w/ Strawberry Cream Frosting

Vanilla Cake with Strawberry Cream Frosting

Ingredients:

Frosting -

• 2 8-oz packages of cream cheese, room temperature (I used low-fat)
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup seedless strawberry jam
• 3/4 cup chilled heavy whipping cream

Cake -

• 3 cups cake flour
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 3 cups sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 7 large eggs
• 2 TBSP vanilla extract
• 1 cup sour cream (I used low fat)
• 6 TBSP plus 1/3 cup seedless strawberry jam
• 2 1/4 lbs strawberries, hulled, sliced (about 6 cups), divided

MAKE THE FROSTING

1) Put a small/medium bowl in the freezer to chill.  In a separate large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in sugar, then jam. Remove that chilled bowl from the freezer and beat cream in that chilled bowl until peaks form. Fold whipped cream into frosting. Cover; chill for a couple of hours until it’s firm enough to spread. (If you are in a hurry, you could put the frosting in the freezer to chill quickly.)

MAKE THE CAKE

2) Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter and flour two 9-inch cake pans with 2-inch high sides. (I used 10″ cheesecake pans – aka springform pans – because they were the only round pans I had with high enough sides and they worked great!)  In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Add sour cream, and beat for 30 seconds. Add flour mixture in three additions, beating to blend after each addition. Divide batter into prepared pans.

2) Bake cake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 50-60 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes. Run a sharp knife around the edges of the pans, then turn cakes out onto a rack to cool completely. I threw the two cake layers in thefreezer for about an hour to make the cake assembly easier.

3) Using a serrated knife, divide each layer in half horizontally. Place one half, cake side down, on a cake plate.

4) Spread 3 TBSP of strawberry jam over the cake, then spread 3/4 c of the frosting over the jam. Arrange 3/4 c of the sliced strawberries on top of the frosting in a single layer. Repeat two more times with cake layer, jam, frosting, and strawberries.

5) Top with remaining cake layer, cut side down. Spread two cups of frosting over the top and sides of the cake in a thin layer, then frost with remaining frosting. Stir remaining jam to loosen, then spoon teaspoonfuls onto the top and sides of the cake. Use the back of a spoon to swirl jam decoratively into the frosting. This recipe makes a very big 4-layer cake that will feed a lot of people. It says it has 12 servings but I definitely think it feeds even more!

BEST. STRAWBERRY. CAKE. EVER.

Vanilla Cake with Strawberry Cream Frosting Recipe

 

Ingredients

• Frosting -
• 2 8-oz packages of cream cheese, room temperature (I used low-fat)
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• ½ cup seedless strawberry jam
• ¾ cup chilled heavy whipping cream
• Cake -
• 3 cups cake flour
• ¾ tsp salt
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 3 cups sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 7 large eggs
• 2 TBSP vanilla extract
• 1 cup sour cream (I used low fat)
• 6 TBSP plus ⅓ cup seedless strawberry jam
• 2¼ lbs strawberries, hulled, sliced (about 6 cups), divided

Instructions

1. FROSTING: Put a small/medium bowl in the freezer to chill. In a separate large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in sugar, then jam. Remove that chilled bowl from the freezer and beat cream in that chilled bowl until peaks form. Fold whipped cream into frosting. Cover; chill for a couple of hours until it’s firm enough to spread. (If you are in a hurry, you could put the frosting in the freezer to chill quickly.)
2. CAKE: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter and flour two 9-inch cake pans with 2-inch high sides. (I used 10″ cheesecake pans – aka springform pans – because they were the only round pans I had with high enough sides and they worked great!) In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Add sour cream, and beat for 30 seconds. Add flour mixture in three additions, beating to blend after each addition. Divide batter into prepared pans.
3. Bake cake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 50-60 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes. Run a sharp knife around the edges of the pans, then turn cakes out onto a rack to cool completely. I threw the two cake layers in the freezer for about an hour to make the cake assembly easier.
4. Using a serrated knife, divide each layer in half horizontally. Place one half, cake side down, on a cake plate.
5. Spread 3 TBSP of strawberry jam over the cake, then spread ¾ c of the frosting over the jam. Arrange ¾ c of the sliced strawberries on top of the frosting in a single layer. Repeat two more times with cake layer, jam, frosting, and strawberries.
6. Top with remaining cake layer, cut side down. Spread two cups of frosting over the top and sides of the cake in a thin layer, then frost with remaining frosting. Stir remaining jam to loosen, then spoon teaspoonfuls onto the top and sides of the cake. Use the back of a spoon to swirl jam decoratively into the frosting. This recipe makes a very big 4-layer cake that will feed a lot of people. It says it has 12 servings but I definitely think it feeds even more!

BUTTER CREAM FROSTING

Don't freak out about using Crisco in your frosting, you won't be able to tell it is there (shortening is what most commercial bakeries use to make that fluffy frosting we all love) and, as you can see, it pipes nicely.
.1 cup white Crisco shortening
1 cup butter (room temperature)
6 to 6½ cups of powdered sugar
½ cup whipping cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract (important)

In the large bowl of a stand mixer, whip the shortening and butter together for about 3 minutes on high. Add 6 cups of powdered sugar, the extracts and whipping cream to the butter mixture and whip ON HIGH for about 8 to 10 minutes.
After that amount of time, check the frosting for consistency. Usually, the frosting is perfect, but if your climate is different from my climate, you may want to add an additional ½ cup of powdered sugar.
Once you frost your cake, put it in the fridge to let everything "set". Remove your cake from the fridge about an hour before serving.
NOTE: This frosting works best in a stand mixer, although you can make it with a hand held mixer (it will just take a little extra time).

CHOCOLATE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Can it be my birthday again, already? They seem to come every six months lately. I usually treat myself to a baked goody on my birthday; come to think of it, it almost always involves chocolate, big surprise!! This is my favorite chocolate frosting, it is quick, easy, deliciously smooth on the tongue and it pipes beautifully!!!

¼ cup butter (warm but not melted)

½ cup baking cocoa

8 ounces cream cheese (room temperature)

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 cups powdered sugar

Mix the cocoa and vanilla into the warm (but not melted) butter, beat until smooth, set aside. Beat the cream cheese until smooth (scrape the sides of the bowl so that you get it all mixed), then add the butter-chocolate mixture and beat until it is all smooth.

Beat in the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating well after each cup until smooth and enjoy.

NOTE: If I'm feeling adventurous, I add a little orange zest to this frosting.

STRAWBERRY FROSTING

1 cup UNSALTED butter at room temperature
4 cups powdered sugar (see note)
1 teaspoon vanilla
dash salt
5 tablespoons strawberry puree (see note)

Whip the butter, with electric mixer, until light and fluffy. Beat in powdered sugar, one cup at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally.

Add the strawberry puree (I just pureed fresh strawberries in my food processor), vanilla and salt. Beat till smooth.

NOTE: The liquid of the strawberries will vary for everyone. If your frosting seems too soft, just add extra powdered sugar (a little at a time) until you get the consistency you want.  If you are going to use this for piping trim, you'll have to add at least another cup to a cup and a half of powdered sugar.
NOTE: This recipe will easily frost 2½ dozen cupcakes if you are just frosting them with a knife.

http://coleensrecipes.blogspot.com/search/label/FROSTING

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING

This is my new "go to" recipe for frosting snack cakes, brownies and cupcakes, it is quick, easy to make and tastes great!!

1/2 cup smooth peanut butter (I used Jiff)
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 - 3/4  cup half and half (see note)
2  2/3 cup confectioners sugar

Mix the peanut butter, cocoa powder, vanilla and a few tablespoons of the half and half until it is smooth and creamy.  Add the sugar, salt and the rest of the half and half (*see note below).   Beat with electric mixer until smooth and shiny.


NOTE: The recipe said to start with half cup of the half and half and if you want it thinner, add the remaining 1/4 cup of half and half (one tablespoon at at time)...beating until smooth.

http://coleensrecipes.blogspot.com/search/label/FROSTING