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Pumpkin Cake with Penuche Frosting

March 14, 2013

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Pumpkin Cake with Penuche Frosting

You guys, I was given another Liebster Award!  This time it was from the fabulous Summer from Mallow & Co.  She makes all different kinds of Rice Krispies treats, so her blog is right up my alley.  And she is so creative.  I can only think of a couple different versions of cereal treats, but not Summer.  Since I did just do a Liebster Award post, I’ll take a cue from my blog BFF Kayle and just post new facts about me and answer Summer’s questions.

Facts About Me

1.     Both of my pinkies are crooked, just like Dad’s.

2.     I have never had a manicure or pedicure and don’t think I ever will.  I really love painting my own nails.  It is one of the most relaxing things for me and I don’t think I would at all enjoy letting someone else do it.

3.     I have to tape my toes when I run because I had a couple incidents where my toe nails fell out.  (Gross, I know!)

4.    I don’t like talking on the phone.  Obviously I do it when I need to, but it makes me rather nervous and I’m told I almost always sound sad, even if I’m not.  I’d rather talk in person or over email.

5.     I don’t text.  I’ve never gotten the attraction of texting and being constantly attached to my cell phone.  If someone needs to get ahold of me, they call, email, or Tweet and I get back to them quickly, but texting is not my thing.

6.    I love Snoopy (and Charlie Brown and the whole gang)!  I watch all the TV specials every year, have tons of various holiday related decorations and stuffed animals galore.  There’s just something about Snoopy and Woodstock that is irresistible to me.

7.    I used to love playing with Barbies when I was younger.  I had tons of them, along with clothes, houses, even an airplane.  I still have the vast majority of them and sometimes still wish I could play with them.

8.    We feed the birds at our house.  We have two feeders and a little house where we put peanuts.  Sparrows, woodpeckers, finches, blue jays, cardinals, chickadees, nuthatches, titmice, and more all visit, along with lots of squirrels.  In the summer we also have hummingbird feeders that attract tons of the little birds.

9.    I never drink pop/soda/soft drinks, and haven’t had one in almost a decade. 

10.  I love listening to Sirius radio.  I always wanted to have it.  When I finally got to try it when one of Mom’s cars came with it a few years ago, I was hooked instantly.  Great music and no commercials.  There’s no better way to spend some time in the car.

11.  I have worn makeup since kindergarten.  I only wore lipstick then, and hated to leave the house without it, but it was a very slippery slope that has made me fall in love with all kinds of makeup.

Pumpkin Cake with Penuche Frosting

Pumpkin Cake with Penuche Frosting

Summer’s Questions

1.)  What are your hobbies or things you do in your spare time?

While I love to go shopping or for a quick walk, my main hobbies are watching TV and movies.  After spending all day writing and baking and exercising, there’s nothing better than sitting down at the end of the day and catching up on my favorite shows or watching a movie.

2.)  What is your biggest pet peeve?

My biggest pet peeve is people who chew loudly or with their mouths open.  I am very sensitive to the noise of chewing and anything that makes it louder or more noticeable drives me up the wall to the point where I have to leave the room.  This is an actual medical condition called misophonia.  Kelly Ripa has it too.

3.)  What’s one of your favorite blogs of the moment?

My favorite blog has been Brown Eyed Baker for years.  It was the first blog I visited, the first blog I made a recipe from, and the blog that was part of the inspiration behind starting a blog of my own.  I make Michelle’s recipes all the time and am constantly impressed at how good they are.

4.)  Salty or Sweet?

Sweet all the way.  I have a pretty much insatiable sweet tooth.  Candy, cake, pie, cookies, dried fruit, fresh fruit, cereal, I love pretty much anything with sugar.

5.)  What is a goal you have for 2013?

To get a novel published or my screenplay turned into a movie.  Writing is really where my heart lies and this is going to be the year I finally get the break I am looking for.

6.)  How many kids are in your family?

I am an only child.  While sometimes I think I ould like a brother or sister, I am really happy that I am an only child and it is just my parents and me.

7.)  What is your dream job?

My dream job is to be a novelist and screen writer.  There is no other job for me.  It is only a matter of time and hard work.

8.)  What is the hardest thing about blogging?

Making the blog grow.  I do everything the books and websites suggest, yet it won’t grow.  It’s very frustrating, but I keep at it, hoping one day everything will just click.

9.)  What is your favorite restaurant and why?

My favorite restaurant is my own kitchen.  Sure I eat out occasionally, but I can’t remember the last time there wasn’t something wrong with the meal or I wasn’t feeling crappy the next day from all the salt.  I love cooking at home and am almost always happier with the results.

10.)               What would your touchdown victory dance look like if you were in the NFL?

It would be a model walk.  I love fashion and one of the things on my bucket list is to walk in a fashion show, so I would pretend like I was walking a runway!

11.)               What’s your favorite season and why?

Summer.  I love hot weather, bright sunshine, long days, beautiful flowers, and walks outside.  It makes everything better.  I am hoping to move somewhere with year round sunshine and nice weather.  Hello California or Florida!

Thanks again to Summer for giving me this Liebster Award!

Pumpkin Cake with Penuche Frosting

Pumpkin Cake with Penuche Frosting

So while I was celebrating this award, I made Pumpkin Cake with Penuche Frosting.  I know what you’re thinking.  It’s not pumpkin season.  It’s almost spring.  Unfortunately here in Michigan, well, it doesn’t look like spring.  It’s gloomy and cold and windy and snowy.  Yuck!  Also, I still have some pumpkin puree in my freezer that was calling my name because in my world, pumpkin has no season.  Plus, I even called my local supermarket to make sure they still have canned pumpkin, so all of you can make this yummy cake.  The batter is fabulous and it bakes up so nicely.

Pumpkin Cake with Penuche Frosting

It was supposed to be topped with a brown butter frosting but it didn’t turn out right.  I have no idea why, but it looked separated and it wasn’t going to ruin my cake.  After a moment of panic, I made a batch of penuche frosting from the pumpkin cookies I posted back in pumpkin season.

This was a happy accident, as the end result surpassed my high expectations.  The moist and dense cake isn’t too sweet with great pumpkin flavor and some spice.  The frosting is a perfect match with its sweetness that is never cloying from the hint of caramel flavor.  This cake won’t wait for pumpkin season to be made.

By the way, I posted a YouTube video about why I should be on The Jeff Probst show (a long shot, I know), but I would love if you’d check it out 🙂

Pumpkin Cake with Penuche Frosting

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Pumpkin Cake with Penuche Frosting


★★★★★

5 from 1 review

  • Total Time: 1 hour 25 mins
  • Yield: 8 1x
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Ingredients

Scale

Cake

  • 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree (I used homemade)
  • ½ cup milk (I used almond)

Frosting

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • ½ cup packed light brown sugar
  • ¼ cup milk (I used almond)
  • 2 – 2 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8 or 9 inch round cake pan. Line the bottom with parchment, butter the parchment, and flour the whole pan, tapping out any excess.
  2. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
  3. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. I did this by hand but a hand or stand mixer would work as well. Add the vanilla and eggs and mix until once again light and fluffy. Add the pumpkin and milk and mix until fully combined. Add the flour mixture and mix until a batter is formed.
  4. Pour batter into the prepared cake pan and bake 40-50 minutes, rotating halfway through if necessary, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with only a few moist crumbs. Allow cake to cool in pan about 20 minutes, before gently loosening from the pan and inverting onto a cake plate. Allow cake to cool completely.
  5. Once the cake is cool, make the frosting. In a small saucepan, combine butter and sugar over medium heat. Stirring frequently, bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute. Allow to cool for 10 minutes. The mixture will harden. Loosen it with a spoon and add the milk, stirring until it is fully incorporated. Add 2 cups of confectioners’ sugar and mix to combine. Continue adding sugar in ½ cup increments, until the frosting is quite thick but still spreadable. Immediately pour frosting onto cake, focusing in the middle. Spread to cover almost the entire cake, leaving about ¼ inch boarder.
  6. Cake may be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or frozen, wrapped in parchment and foil and placed in a zipper bag in quarters for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for several hours.

Notes

Cake adapted from Martha Stewart Frosting adapted from Pillsbury

  • Prep Time: 30 mins
  • Cook Time: 55 mins

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Filed Under: Baked Goods, Cake, Frosting, Penuche Tagged With: Cake, Cinnamon, Frosting, Ginger, Penuche, Pumpkin, Vanilla

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Comments

  1. Katy @ Katyskitchen says

    March 14, 2013 at 4:09 pm

    Yummy yummy in my tummy….now I know what to do with my pumpkin puree that has been sitting in my freezer for way too long!

    Reply
    • Laura says

      March 15, 2013 at 1:55 pm

      I love having frozen pumpkin puree for making things like this year round. Glad to hear you make your own and freeze it 🙂

      Reply
  2. Ruby @ The Ruby Red Apron says

    March 14, 2013 at 6:30 pm

    Mmm! I love the sound of pumpkin cake with penuche frosting! & Congrats on receiving another Liebster award… funny, I hate talking on the phone too!

    Reply
    • Laura says

      March 15, 2013 at 1:54 pm

      Thanks, Ruby! Yeah, there’s just something about the phone . . . I can’t even explain it.

      Reply
  3. Natalie says

    March 14, 2013 at 8:43 pm

    OH MY this sounds delicious! I love pumpkin recipes and your frosting sounds really good too!

    Reply
    • Laura says

      March 15, 2013 at 1:54 pm

      I love pumpkin recipes too! The frosting is soooo yummy! Thanks, Natalie!

      Reply
  4. Abbe@This is How I Cook says

    March 14, 2013 at 11:35 pm

    Well, congratulations on that award! And the cake looks great but the frosting looks killer! and I agree growing the blog is work! But fun, I think!

    Reply
    • Laura says

      March 15, 2013 at 1:53 pm

      Thanks, Abbe! The frosting on this cake is killer. I could eat it on just about anything. The blog is definitely fun most of the time, but as with any job, there are moments of frustration.

      Reply
  5. Deborah says

    March 15, 2013 at 2:18 am

    You definitely need to get a pedicure sometime – it’s so much better than you think! My favorite way to relax. And this cake looks amazing!

    Reply
    • Laura says

      March 15, 2013 at 1:52 pm

      Thanks, Deborah! I’ll have to add getting a pedicure to my bucket list 😉

      Reply
  6. Kayle (The Cooking Actress) says

    March 15, 2013 at 8:22 am

    Yay! Congrats on the award! I absolutely loved Barbies as a kid too (to a borderline unhealthy degree) and I love picturing a cute little kindergardner who won’t leave the house without lipstick! Adorable!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Laura says

      March 15, 2013 at 1:51 pm

      Thanks, Kayle! My obsession with Barbies was probably quite unhealthy too. When I was a kid, playing with them was basically my life. My poor dad, playing with Barbies day after day!

      Reply
  7. Sydney @ Crepes of Wrath says

    March 15, 2013 at 10:16 am

    I wish I weren’t addicted to my phone, but I literally check it every 5 minutes. It’s my way of tuning out, which is apparently a serious problem of mine! 😛 Maybe if I had a piece of this cake, I’d be able to put it down for at least 10 minutes.

    Reply
    • Laura says

      March 15, 2013 at 1:50 pm

      If your phone helps you tune out then it’s probably not such a bad thing for you. Desserts like this can distract me from just about anything 😉

      Reply
  8. Dad says

    March 15, 2013 at 11:43 am

    This is fantastic.

    Reply
    • Laura says

      March 15, 2013 at 1:49 pm

      So glad you liked it 🙂

      Reply
  9. Jennifer @ Not Your Momma's Cookie says

    March 15, 2013 at 4:23 pm

    Congrats!

    Reply
    • Laura says

      March 16, 2013 at 11:22 am

      Thanks, Jennifer!

      Reply
  10. The Healthy Apple says

    March 15, 2013 at 10:58 pm

    Congrats on the award darling; I love summer too…it’s my favorite season and I cannot wait for it to arrive, hehe! This cake looks great. the frosting looks so creamy and I love how simple it looks. Beautiful, Laura. Have a great weekend.
    xox

    Reply
    • Laura says

      March 16, 2013 at 11:22 am

      I can’t wait for summer to arrive either! Thank you so much, Amie! A great weekend to you as well 🙂

      Reply
  11. Averie @ Averie Cooks says

    March 16, 2013 at 1:19 am

    Just pinned this baby! In my world, pumpkin has no season either! Good save on the frosting. Don’t you hate it when you make something and then remake it and the 2nd (or 10th) time around, it causes you trouble. Grr! but your cake looks perfect.

    I find it interesting you love makeup but have never had a profesh mani or pedi. For nothing else, I love them for the massages they do. But I actually haven’t had one in ages…however I bought $$ my 6 year old a manicure this week. I’d rather her have it than me 🙂 She chose the BRIGHTEST pink nail polish ever!

    Reply
    • Laura says

      March 16, 2013 at 11:21 am

      Thanks for the pin, Averie! I also love nail polish – my nails are always painted, but I like to do it myself. I think it’s a control thing. It is so sweet you’d rather your daughter have a manicure than you. My mom is like that too. Gotta love bright pink nail polish 🙂

      Reply
  12. Paula @ Vintage Kitchen says

    March 19, 2013 at 6:35 am

    This cake looks so incredibly moist Laura! And the frosting sounds perfect with the brown sugar. I´d always been intrigued about the word penuche, it´s in so many vintage cookbooks. Congrat on the award!

    Reply
    • Laura says

      March 19, 2013 at 11:49 am

      Thank you so much, Paula! I love the frosting! I would really like to learn more about penuche and use it more – it’s a great flavor.

      Reply
  13. Carolyn Jung says

    March 26, 2013 at 7:30 pm

    I think I still have a can of pumpkin puree lurking in the cupboard. I may have to sacrifice it for this lovely cake. 😉

    Reply
    • Laura says

      March 28, 2013 at 11:59 am

      This cake is so good! The perfect use to sacrifice that can of pumpkin:) Thanks, Carolyn!

      Reply

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  1. Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes (Namaste Spice Cake Mix review) | In and outside of the box says:
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Welcome to Pies and Plots. I’m Laura Dembowski, writer, baker, and fashionista sharing recipes, reviews, and tips to inspire you to enjoy life both inside and outside the kitchen.
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