Pumpkin – Fervent Foodie

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

November 29, 2011 14 Comments

Pumpkin. Whoopie. Pies.

Three things I adore in life—some pumpkin, some whoopie, and some pie—all mashed into one sweet oh-so-fluffy treat.

It’s childish, yet somehow sophisticated and completely perfect. I’ve been drooling over this recipe for AGES. I bookmarked it the moment I laid eyes on it… but I’ve been purposely avoiding making these whoopie pies because I know myself. I KNOW how I am when it comes to sweets. I have no backbone, no will power, no shot in hell of “just saying no.” I knew these pumpkin whoopie pies would be good. Too good. Visions of me double-fisting whoopie pies has haunted my dreams for months.

After all this build up and anticipation, I finally made whoopie last night. It was everything I hoped it would be and so so so much more.

I was right. Surprise, surpriiiiiise. These whoopie pies were TOO good. Downright addicting. They make every inch of my body smile. My eyes smile at the sight of the adorable little pies all lined up in perfect rows of four. My finger tips smile beneath a sticky layer of cake crumbs. My lips smile as they feel the softness of the pie against the creaminess of the icing. My heart smiles every time I see or hear or speak the word “whoopie.” I know it’s not just me.

Luckily, I was able to pawn most of the pies off on my fellow Charlotte Food Bloggers at our meet up last night. Isn’t that the purpose of baking after all? To make sinfully delicious treats and force them on friends, family, and coworkers so that you don’t eat them all yourself?

After some debate (there’s always some debate when it comes to me and food) I decided to use this adaptation of the whoopie pie recipe I found on Eat Live Run (with a minor tweak).

Ok then, let’s make whoopie!

Yes, I have the sense of humor of a 12 year old. So sorry.

First the mix the following in a large bowl:

1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup canola oil

Then stir in:

1 egg
3/4 cup pumpkin

In another bowl combine the following:

1.5 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking power
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or just go heavy on all the other spices)

Dump the flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture and beat to combine.

Next, I used a cookie dough scooper to scoop out 24 cookies onto cookie sheets lined with parchment paper. Slightly flatten the cookies (this will help the cookies get that flat whoopie pie shape… clearly I forgot this step… whoopsie pie, perhaps?):

Into a 350 degree oven for 12 minutes!

Once the cookies are completely cool, it’s time to get your ice on!

Beat the following together in medium bowl:

1 stick softened butter
1.5 cups powdered sugar

Beat for TEN MINUTES. Sorry Sad smile . Then stir in:

1.5 tsp vanilla extract

Scrape the icing into a baggie, snip the end, and pipe the butter cream deliciousness onto half of the cookies:

Don’t worry. It doesn’t have to look perfect. Clearly.

Actually, from this angle this does look pretty perfect….

Gently sandwich the cookies together.

You will inevitably be smiling at this point. Just try to eat them one at a time 🙂

Recipes

Mini Pumpkin Muffcakes

November 14, 2010 3 Comments

Oh so simple, and oh so delicious.

In the past week or so, I realized that my year-to-date pumpkin intake is severely below goal this year. It dawned on me that I have only enjoyed ONE Starbucks pumpkin latte this year and I’ve only made pumpkin cookies ONCE. Sad! The very next day, I received an email newsletter from Hungry Girl that was ALL ABOUT PUMPKIN. Fate? I’m thinking yes.

Do any of you get the Hungry Girl email newsletter? I am a big big fan. She always has simple healthy recipe ideas and offers up tips on healthier options to make at chain restaurants. She’s also coming out with a show in January, which I’m pretty pumped about.

One of the pumpkin recipes in the newsletter that caught my eye was this recipe for Caramel Pudding Pumpkin Cupcakes. I truly am a baker at heart. Yes, I love to cook, but if I had to choose I’d pick baking any day. One of the reasons I rarely bake is that I possess little to no will power against baked goods. I’m the girl who has to try a “little bite” of each baked good at family get togethers… only to end up eating the sugar equivalent of 7 king size snickers bars… For those of you who were Sex and the City watchers, I could totally relate to the episode where Miranda ate chocolate cake from the trash can. Like I said. Little to no willpower. So rather than suscept myself to sugar induced comas, I avoid baking.

Unless of course I have plenty of people to pawn my wares off on… And when all else fails, I scale it down. I mean way down. I’ve been known to make a solitary no-bake cookie. Talk about proactive measures!

When I got to baking these pumpkin cupcakes, I decided to cut the recipe down to 3 cupcakes. Come on. You have to give yourself a little wiggle room Winking smile

I assembled the ingredients for 3 cupcakes in a large bowl (making a few minor tweaks from HG’s recipe):

1/2 cup Better Crocker moist yellow cake mix
1/4 cup canned pure pumpkin
1 egg white
1.5 tsp Smuckers sugar free breakfast syrup
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 packet Truvia
dash of salt

I whisked everything together with a fork for a good two minutes:

Then divided evenly into 3 muffin tins, which I popped into a 350 degree oven for 12 minutes…. and VOILA!

Little bits of joy:

I’m so proud Smile

While the cupcakes cooled, I got to work on the caramel icing. For three cupcakes, I only needed 1 caramel candy (the little cube caramels you can find individually wrapped in the bulk candy section of the grocery store) and 1 tsp Almond Breeze Vanilla Unsweetened Almond Milk. I put both of the icing ingredients into a bowl and popped into the microwave on 50% heat for 1 minute, then stirred, and repeated for another minute.

Then I just drizzled the caramel goodness over top of the three cupcakes:

I had one of these little guys with my evening cup of Earl Grey tea. It reminded me of the pumpkin muffies you can get at Panera (you know, the ones that are dusted with powdered sugar?). These cupcakes really are a cross between a muffie and a cupcake…. A muffcake, if you will Winking smile

Not only were they super easy and scrumptious, but they made my kitchen smell absolutely heavenly.

Stats on 1 Mini Pumpkin Muffcake (as prepared by Fervent Foodie): 106 calories, 23g carbs, 1g fat, 2g protein, 1g fiber

Mini Pumpkin Muffcakes Ingredients List (makes 3)

1/2 cup Better Crocker moist yellow cake mix
1/4 cup canned pure pumpkin
1 egg white
1.5 tsp Smuckers sugar free breakfast syrup
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 packet Truvia
dash of salt
1 caramel candy
1 tsp Almond Breeze Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk

Recipes

Pumpkin Cookies

October 11, 2010 10 Comments

I LOVE all things pumpkin. A few years back, I found this recipe for Iced Pumpkin Cookies, and it has been one of my go-to cookie recipes ever since (I do make a few Mary-tweaks). Feast your eyes, my friends.

Feast. Your. Eyes.

Oh yes.

First up, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Then combine the dry ingredients in a medium size bowl:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt

Next, combine the following in a large bowl until creamy:

1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar

Suga butta:

Then add:

1 small can pumpkin puree (or ONE HEAPING cup)
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Once combined, add in the dry ingredients in thirds and mix:

Pumpkin batter:

I use a small cookie scooper to drop the cookies onto an ungreased cookie sheet. I don’t flatten mine like the original recipe states. I like them a lil poofy.

Cook for precisely 15 minutes, immediately remove from the cookie sheet, and pop into the freezer for a couple minutes.

Yes, the freezer:

I’m not entirely sure why I do this, and it is probably an unnecessary step… but regardless I always do it and I think it helps the cookies to stop cooking sooner (which equals super moist and delicious cookies).

Once the cookies are cool, it’s time for icing! You can also make the cookies a day ahead and ice the next day. Just don’t store them in an airtight container (or you’ll end up with mushy business).

For the icing, mix the following in bowl:

2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Sprinkling of cinnamon

Nom nom nom!

Take a sandwich size plastic bag and place it in a small drinking glass. Pour the icing into the cup:

Mess free!

Snip a small corner off of the baggie and you’ll get oober professional results 🙂

Fancy pants:

Once I ice the cookies, I pop them into the freezer AGAIN:

Ok yes, probably unnecessary. But this helps the icing to set up. At least I think it does.

VOILAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

Eat me now.

Since these cookies are super moist and delicious, you do NOT want to store them in an airtight container. I like to keep mine in the fridge and eat them cold.

MMMMMM HMMMMMMMMMMMM GOOOOOODDDDDDD.

This recipe makes 4 dozen pumpkin cookies.

What’s your favorite pumpkin recipe?