Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake

Once again, I apologize for not updating my blog more often, but the semester is almost over and I will soon have more posts up.  I have many I want to post, but I just haven't had the time, I'm making the time now because this one is just too good to wait.  I usually bake my Pumpkin Pound Cake for my aunt's annual Thanksgiving dinner, but this year I wanted to be different.  I decided I wanted to bake a cheesecake, I got the idea from out of all places, The Cheesecake Factory.  I know every year in the fall they have a pumpkin cheesecake on their menu, so I went onto epicurious.com and found a few recipes there.  I decided to use Bon Appetit's October 2002 recipe.  It came out great, and it was a real hit at Thanksgiving. 

You will need a springform pan and a roasting pan.  Make sure the springform pan is at least 9", the recipe calls for a 10" one, but I used a 9" and it just fit all the ingredients. 

For the crust you'll need:

• 9 whole graham crackers (about 4 ounces), broken
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted

For the filling you'll need:

• 4 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 1/2  cups sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 15-ounce can pure pumpkin
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

First position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350 degrees.  Wrap double layer of heavy duty foil around outside of springform pan.  Combine graham crackers, sugar, and cinnamon in processor, blend until graham crackers are very finely ground.

Drizzle butter over.  Using on/off turns, blend until crumbs begin to stick together.  Press crumbs onto bottom (not sides) of springform pan.

Bake until crust is slightly golden, about 10 minutes.  Transfer to rack and cool while preparing filling.  Maintain oven temperature.

Now, onto the filling.  Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until smooth and fluffy.

Beat in eggs one at a time.

Add pumpkin and remaining 7 ingredients.  Beat just until blended.

Pour filling into prepared crust.  Place springform pan in a large roasting pan.  Add enough water to come halfway up sides of springform pan.

Bake cheesecake until slightly puffed and softly set and top in golden, about 1 1/2 hours.  Transform springform pan to rack and cool.  Cover and refrigerate cake overnight.

Using a knife, cut around sides of pan to loosen cake.  Release pan sides.  Cut and serve, and 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!

Ginger Nutmeg Spice Cupcakes

Have you ever watched Food Network's Cupcake Wars?  Well, this is where this recipe came from.  A vegan chef named Chloe Coscarelli was the first vegan chef to ever win a show on the Food Network.  I never saw her episode, but when I saw her cookbook at Barnes & Nobles with the words, "Winner of Food Network's Cupcake Wars," I had to have it.  The book Chloe's Kitchen has more than just dessert recipes in it.  I've made her mac & cheese, a pasta salad, and the barley casserole I've blogged about before, to name a few.  This recipe is her award winning recipe, and they've been a hit each time I've made them for friends and family.

What you'll need for the cupcakes:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup canned coconut milk, mixed well before measuring
1/2 cup canola oil
2 teaspoons white or apple-cider vinegar (I prefer the apple-cider one)
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

What you'll need for the Vanilla Bean Butter Cream Frosting:
1 cup non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening
3 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
seeds of 1 vanilla bean or 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract (I've used both in this recipe and I couldn't taste much of a difference.)
2 to 5 tablespoons soy, almond, or rice milk (I prefer almond milk.)

What you'll need for the Date Caramel:
6 medjool dates
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons water
1/4 ground cinnamon

I apologize ahead of time if my pictures are a little dark.  The lighting in my kitchen isn't good without the sunlight.  I also take all the pictures with my iPad.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line 2 12-cup cupcake pans with 18 cupcake liners.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon.

In a separate bowl, whisk together pumpkin, coconut milk, oil, vinegar, and vanilla.

Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and whisk until just combined.  Don't over mix.

Fill the cupcake liners about two-thirds full with batter.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean with a few crumbs clinging to it.  Cool the cupcakes completely before frosting.


Using a handheld or stand mixer (I love my Kitcheaid), beat shortening until smooth.  With the mixer running on low, add powdered sugar, vanilla extract, vanilla bean seeds, and 1 tablespoon non-dairy milk at a time, as needed, until frosting reaches a spreadable consistency.

You may not need to use all of the non-dairy milk.  Beat on high for 2 more minutes until light and fluffy.

Place dates in a small saucepan with water to cover, and bring to a gentle boil.  Let the dates boil gently for 10 minutes.  Drain and rince with cold water until cool to the touch.  Peel the dates with your fingers and discard the skin.  Remove the pits and coarsely chop the dates.  Place in a blender;  add maple syrup, water, and cinnamon.  Blend until smooth.  Refrigerate until chilled.

I didn't make the date caramel for this blog, but I've made it in the past.  The dates are very sticky, and they will stick to your hands.  You can serve these cupcakes with or without the caramel and they'll taste just as yummy.  The caramel adds an extra sweetness.

Spread a thin layer of the Vanilla Bean Butter Cream on the Spice Cupcakes and drizzle with the Date Caramel.

Enjoy!