St. James Coffee Cake from Penzeys

I made this coffee cake Labor Day weekend to bring to my aunt's house, who was hosting a small get together at the Jersey shore.  It's from a Penzeys catalog, so you know it's going to be good.  :)

Here's what you'll need:

• 3 cups flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon Penzeys Cinnamon (best cinnamon ever!)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3/4 cup butter
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup raisins (or currants)
• 1 cup chopped nuts, I believe I used hazelnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and spices.  Cut or rub in the butter until the mixture resembles corn meal.

Reserve 1/2 cup of the mixture.  In a second bowl, combine buttermilk and baking soda.  Pour this into the remaining crumb mixture in halves, beating thoroughly after each addition.

Stir in the raisins and nuts.  Spread the batter into a greased and floured 9"x13" pan.  Sprinkle the reserved crumb mixture over the top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour until brown and springy when touched or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Pound Cake with Buttermilk Glaze

Last year I made this cake a bunch of times during the fall season.  I made it after my husband and I bought our stand mixer, I think it was the first cake recipe I made with the mixer, now that I think about it.  I made it a couple of times when I had some new friends come over for dinner.  I made it for Thanksgiving at my aunt's last year, and at my in-laws' Christmas party.  Since it was so loved last year at Thanksgiving, I made it again this year.  I'll probably make it the in-laws' Christmas party as well. 

The recipe comes from my Cooking Light Way to Bake cookbook.  Since it is a pound cake it feels heavy, and comes out nice, moist and very yummy.

Here's what you'll need for the cake:
cooking spray
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
13.5 ounces all-purpose flour (about 3 cups)
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup non-fat buttermilk

Here's what you'll need for the glaze:
1/3 cup non-fat buttermilk
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon baking soda

First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Then lightly coat a 10-inch tube pan with cooking spray and dust with 1 tablespoon flour.  Spread pumpkin over 2 layers of paper towels;  cover with 2 additional layers of paper towels.  Let stand about 10 minutes.  Scrape drained pumpkin into a bowl.

Place 3/4 cup granulated sugar, brown sugar, and 1/2 cup butter in a large bowl;  beat with a mixer at medium speed for 3 minutes or until well blended.

Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.

Beat in pumpkin and vanilla.

Weigh or lightly spoon flour  into dry measuring cups;  level with a knife.  Combine flour and next 4 ingredients in a bowl, stirring well with a whisk.  Add flour mixture and 3/4 cup buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
Spoon batter into prepared pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack.  Remove from pan;  cool completely on wire rack.

T prepare glaze, combine 1/3 cup buttermilk and remaining ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat;  bring to a boil.  Cook 1 minute or until thick, stirring constantly;  remove from heat.  Drizzle glaze over cake.

Enjoy!