Mini Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cakes

Mini Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cakes

adapted from First look then Cook

Ingredients

For cakes
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened, plus additional for greasing bundt pan
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour plus additional for dusting pan
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups canned solid-pack pumpkin (from a 15-ounce can; not pie filling)
3/4 cup well-shaken buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
For icing
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons well-shaken buttermilk
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
Special equipment: mini bundt pan

Preparation
Make cake:Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Butter bundt pan generously, then dust with flour, knocking out excess.
Whisk together flour (2 1/4 cups), baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, and salt in a bowl. Whisk together pumpkin, 3/4 cup buttermilk, and vanilla in another bowl.

Beat butter (1 1/2 sticks) and granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes, then add eggs and beat 1 minute. Reduce speed to low and add flour and pumpkin mixtures alternately in batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture and mixing until batter is just smooth.

Spoon batter into pan, smoothing top, then bake until a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center of cakes comes out clean, 15 minutes.

Cool cake in pan on a rack 15 minutes, then invert rack over cake and reinvert cake onto rack. Cool 10 minutes more.

Make icing:While cake is cooling, whisk together buttermilk cinnamon and confectioners sugar until smooth. Drizzle icing over warm cake, then cool cake completely. Icing will harden slightly.

• Cooks’ note: Cake can be made 3 days ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature.
  

photos by madame sucre

Martha's Good Things..

Drying Decanters

The insides of glass decanters can be a challenge to dry. You can't air-dry them; the water only condenses and becomes trapped, eventually discoloring the glass. And only a genie could fit through their narrow openings to dry them with a towel. Try this: Tightly roll a paper towel, and insert it three-fourths of the way into the bottle; it will absorb the moisture.

Just Loving..

via Casa Dulce Hogar

Pisatchio N' Roses

Pistachio n' Roses Cupcakes

adapted from Evan's Kitchen Ramblings

ingredients (makes 24) :

1.5 cups self raising flour
1 cup plain flour
1/4 cup ground pistachio

250g butter, softened
2 cups sugar (i only used 1.5 cups)
4 eggs
1/2 cup milk
60ml rose syrup water (2 parts water to 1 part syrup)
1 tsp rosewater essence

directions :
1. combine flours and ground almonds in a bowl. in another bowl, beat butter & sugar until light and fluffy, then add in eggs one at a time and whisk until combined.
2. add in flours in 3 additions, alternating between milk and rose syrup water. do not overmix. fold in batter until just combined.
3. spoon mixture into cupcake liners, (total height should come up to 3/4 of liner).
4. bake in preheated oven of 170C for 20 mins or until skewer inserted comes out clean.

* for the cream cheese frosting, i combined cream cheese, butter, & sifted icing sugar according to taste. added some pistachio on top .

Why didnt I think of That?!

No candleholder? No Problem!

Thanksgiving Tables for Kids..

via martha stewart

Tables for dinning in style..

some inspiration for this season's dinners !

via CountryLiving

Fancy Tea Party

via A Fanciful Twist

Thanksgiving has Style..

via martha stewart and Real Simple

CHOCOLATE MERINGUE STRAWBERRY CREAM

CHOCOLATE MERINGUE STRAWBERRY CREAM SLICE

adapted from Passionate about Baking

Ingredients:

100gms butter

250gms Castor sugar, divide into 2

2 eggs, separated

1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

75gms plain flour

2 tsps baking powder (yes it is 2)

pinch of salt

2 1/2 tbsps cocoa

90ml milk

100gms flaked almonds

200ml light cream

3-4 tbsps powdered sugar

250gms strawberries chopped

Grease & line a round tin. I baked 2 cake slices instead of slicing 1 chocolate cake into two halves.
Sift flour, baking powder, salt & cocoa together & keep aside.
Beat the butter & 1/2 cup sugar till light & fluffy. Add egg yolks & vanilla extract & beat again.
Add the flour mix to the above with the milk & stir together well. Spread out thinly in prepared pan.
With clean beaters, beat the whites till stiff. Gradually add the other 1/2 cup sugar & whisk till blended in. Spread on top of the chocolate mixture, sprinkle with slivered almonds, & bake for 20 minutes. Allow to cool completely in pan.

Handle with care, GENTLY, as it is fragile. Turn out very carefully onto a wire rack, & peel off paper.

Slide one half onto a serving platter, chocolate side up.
Whip the cream with sugar till firm & holds peaks. Spread the cake with whipped cream & chopped strawberries. Top with another cake slice ( make another cake mix and follow same procedure above) . Garnish with whipped cream, halved strawberries & sprigs of mint. (or melt dark chocolate in a baggie, & drizzle in zig-zags over the top, as in the original recipe).
Chill until served.