The first holiday Brandy and I are celebrating for our All Through the Year Cheer Event is Halloween! To Brandy and I, Halloween says apples and pumpkins, so this month we’ll feature several recipes with those ingredients. (For some reason, Halloween always puts me in the mood to watch the first Harry Potter movie…I think because of the scene where they show the dining hall of Hogwarts all decked out with pumpkins!) The first recipe I’m featuring is a Pumpkin Yogurt Pound Cake. This recipe is actually a 2-for-1, since I used the same batter to make two completely different cakes. The first cake is more for the kiddies, with a colorful, speckled interior (thanks to decorative cake sprinkles) and a pumpkin buttercream frosting. The second cake is a little more grown-up, with dark chocolate and cranberries and a pumpkin glaze. I love them both!
A couple of days before Halloween, we’ll be taking recipe submissions for your Halloween recipes. Your recipes will be included in our round-up, and you don’t need a blog to enter your recipe…don’t forget, there will be a prize! (The prize will be announced later this month.) And remember, your recipe can be for ANYTHING that says Halloween to you!
Happy Halloween!
Speckled Pumpkin Yogurt Pound Cake with Pumpkin Buttercream Frosting
Speckled Pumpkin Yogurt Pound Cake:
¾ c unsweetened pumpkin puree
½ c yogurt
1 c brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
⅓ c canola oil
1 c all-purpose flour, plus more to flour the pan
½ c whole wheat flour (or you can use all-purpose)
2 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice mix
⅓ c fall-colored decorative jimmies/sprinkles
Butter, to grease the pan
Pumpkin Buttercream Frosting (From A Year In the Kitchen)
¼ c unsweetened pumpkin puree
1 stick salted butter
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice mix
About 1 pound powdered sugar
A loaf pan, or a round cake pan
Preheat the oven to 350F. Butter and flour your baking pan. Mix together the pumpkin and yogurt, then stir in the brown sugar, then the eggs and vanilla, then the oil. Stir in the flours, baking powder, salt, and spice. Fold in the sprinkles. Transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan and bake for 25-50 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Your baking time will vary depending on the size of pan you use (for example, a round cake pan takes less time than a loaf pan) and the material your pan is made of (for example, silicone cooks faster than glass or metal bakeware). Allow the cake to cool completely on a wire rack.
For the buttercream: Cream together the pumpkin, butter, vanilla, and spice. Gradually beat in the sugar until the pumpkin is no longer separated out.
Frost the cake once it’s completely cool.
Dark Chocolate Cranberry Pumpkin Yogurt Pound Cake with Pumpkin Glaze
Dark Chocolate Cranberry Pumpkin Yogurt Pound Cake:
¾ c unsweetened pumpkin puree
½ c yogurt
1 c brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
⅓ c canola oil
1 c all-purpose flour, plus more to flour the pan and coat the cranberries and chocolate
½ c whole wheat flour (or you can use all-purpose)
2 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice mix
⅓ c dried cranberries
⅓ c dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips
Butter, to grease the pan
Pumpkin Glaze (From Mommy, What’s For Dinner?)
2 TB salted butter, melted
2 TB unsweetened pumpkin puree
1 TB milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
⅛ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice mix
1 c powdered sugar
A loaf pan, or a round cake pan
Preheat the oven to 350F. Butter and flour your baking pan. Mix together the pumpkin and yogurt, then stir in the brown sugar, then the eggs and vanilla, then the oil. Stir in the flours, baking powder, salt, and spice. In a separate bowl, combine the cranberries, chocolate, and 1 teaspoon of flour; stir to coat. Fold the coated cranberries and chocolate into the batter. Transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan and bake for 25-50 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Your baking time will vary depending on the size of pan you use (for example, a round cake pan takes less time than a loaf pan) and the material your pan is made of (for example, silicone cooks faster than glass or metal bakeware). Allow to cool on a wire rack.
For the glaze: Whisk together all ingredients for the glaze. (This makes quite a bit of glaze; you could probably cut the reicpe in half and it would still be enough.)
Glaze the cake when it’s still a little warm; I like to place it on a wire rack and pour the glaze over top. Let the glaze set completely (the glaze will turn white) before cutting.
(Click on an image to enlarge)
Kendrick Elberson says
Thanks for the great post! You have a new fan.
Chaya says
Of the two above recipes, both looking delicious, the one with chocolate and cranberries wins.
Love your and Brandy's idea for the contest. Let me do some thinking and see if I can pull something off. I am so not creative but it is worth a try, at the least.
Natasha - 5 Star Foodie says
Scrumptious pumpkin cakes! I love both recipes! Great idea for holiday events, looking forward to participating.
Donna says
OMG!! These both look wonderful, but that first shot with that frosting, steals my soul:)
natalie says
Yum yum yum and more yum!! Looks so great and so good for halloween. I really need to start cooking. I committ to do it when I move to our new house (if we get it!). Great post!!
ingrid says
Yum, I'm not certain which one appeals more? Okay, I'll take a slice of each, please!
~ingrid
nora@ffr says
wow!! m loving this cake!! sound delicious! juat perfect for halloween. love the thick frosting :)
cheers!
Dawn says
YAY! Love love love this time of year!!! :) Everything looks delicious! Can you believe I've never seen any of the Harry Potter movies?! haha I may have to rent at least the 1st one!
sophia says
Amazing! I like both of them, they are both wonderful yet different in their own ways...but I think I would take the spiced one, without the frosting!
Reeni says
How incredibly delicious! The pumpkin pound cake is especially calling my name - love that thick layer of frosting!
Nutmeg Nanny says
Fantastic cakes! If we were not in this together I would totally steal this recipe for my week....hahaha:)
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella says
Gorgeous cake Faith! And I'm so entering, just give me a bit of time to getit all together before my party. I can't wait! :P
Jen says
These cakes look spectacular! I love the "grown up funfetti" look! I am now starting to get more into the fall spirit.
Barbara says
Love the looks of the chocolate cranberry pumpkin loaf! Your photos were so good I almost got a spoon out.
Unusual combination-printing it now.
holly says
LOVE seasonal goodies - these both look so amazing! i will have to see what i can come up with :)
Krista says
OMG...both these cakes sound dreamy. The speckled one would be perfect for a class Hallowe'en party! I've got it book marked. And the contest sounds really fun...
Chiara says
Ah, glad to see I'm not the only one with pumpkins on her mind! Looking forward to see all your pumpkin recipes!
Blond Duck says
That cake would be perfect for the Halloween Party at work!
Heavenly Housewife says
What a beautiful cake. I've never made a pumpkin cake yet, though its definitely on my list. Canned pumpkin isn't easy to come by in the UK, you need to buy it in specialty stores (its imported from america).