Pumpkin spice mix is secret to stellar fall baking recipes
Black coffee. Preferably an espresso, cut with hot water. Perfection. I am not the audience for the crop of mocha lattes, candy cane cappuccinos and salted caramel dirty chais. However, offer me a pumpkin spice latte, and the gig is up. I’m such a sucker for anything pumpkin that I happily forgo my black coffee mantra for this seasonal treat.
I like this musky-smelling, subtle-tasting, orange winter squash boiled, baked and simmered into savory soups, chilies and stews. I especially like it cooked into a thick, rusty-orange puree. Homemade or canned, it’s perfect for mixing with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice and cloves for spooning into a flaky pie shell. Make no mistake: This is the combination that screams pumpkin goodness.
It turns out the secret to “pumpkin” lies more in the pumpkin seasoning than the actual vegetable. Good news really — because the seasoning can be incorporated into all manner of dishes — especially my fall baking. I blend my own pumpkin pie spice using proportions from Betty Crocker, and I take the time to grind my own allspice, nutmeg and cloves for freshness. I also like to vary the cinnamon.
Armed with a jar of pumpkin pie spice, I sprinkle it into everything from my homebrewed coffee and black tea to my evening bowl of frozen vanilla yogurt. Mostly, I use the seasoning with cooked pumpkin — its rightful pairing — in cakes, pies, ice cream and puddings.
Inspired by a store-bought bag of pumpkin-spiced granola, I added the pumpkin spice seasoning to my standard streusel topping destined for simple one-pan cakes. The resulting cinnamon pecan streusel is so good that I find myself dolloping it over French toast and spreading it on a toasted cinnamon raisin bagel with a smear of cream cheese
S t r e u s e l c o mpl e t e d , I a d d e d p u m p k i n p u r e e (canned, unsweetened) to t he c ake batt er f or a f al l dessert that is simply delicious and within reach of most cooks’ abilities. The only caveat is to remember to measure your cake pan to prevent problems in the oven. For this recipe, you’ll need to use a pan that is 9 inches across the top and 1 ½ inches deep.
The cake keeps well for a c o u p l e o f d ay s i f c overed tightly. If desired, you can gild the cake with an espresso-flavored glaze. I like to serve it with a scoop of soft ice cream or a cup of pumpkin spiced coffee.
Since pumpkin and breakf as t s eem t o be a l as t i ng ro mance , I a d d e d s o me canned pumpkin and the spice mixture to my favorite waffle recipe — one that is tangy from buttermilk and lightened with beaten egg whites.
Tiny dried currants add sweetness and texture; omit them if you like.
One note: Canned pumpkin has been in short supply recently. You can make both of these recipes with cooked mashed fresh sweet potatoes or canned sweet potatoes (drain off the syrup first).
This recipe doubles nicely. Reheat any leftover waffles in the toaster or toaster oven to re-crisp them before serving.
Heat oven to 200 degrees. Heat waffle iron according to manufacturer’s directions. When iron is heated, spray the iron with nonstick cooking spray for high heat. (Spray waffle iron as needed between waffles.)
Whisk together flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and dried fruit; mix well. Mix buttermilk, oil, vanilla and egg yolks in small bowl. Stir wet mixture into the flour mixture just until mixed.
Beat egg whites in a small bowl on high speed until foamy. Gradually beat in sugar until soft peaks form. Gently fold whites into the batter just until mixed.
For each waffle, spoon a generous cup of the batter into the heated waffle iron, close the iron and bake until waffle is crisped and perfectly golden. Remove the baked waffle; put into the oven directly on the oven rack for 5 to 10 minutes while you bake the remaining waffles.
To serve, pile a couple of hot waffle squares on a heated serving plate. Top with a pat of butter. Sprinkle plate with pecans and pie spice. Serve with warmed syrup.
Nutrition information per serving ( for 4 servings): 411 calories, 22 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 95 mg cholesterol, 47 g carbohydrates, 18 g sugar, 9 g protein, 760 mg sodium, 3 g fiber