The Rainy Day Baker

Happy New Year!

In a conscious effort to “cut myself some slack” after both celebrating the holidays and moving into a new house I’ve created a bit of an alternative to my usual one-subject post.

Throughout December, I set out to bake/make and photograph a few different dishes, and while the baking/making part went well, I can’t say the same about some of the photos (or lack there of). For one thing, I’m still settling into my new kitchen. And for another, we were eating things faster than I could photograph them.

Even so, a couple of the recipes were just too good not to share so I resolved to construct a kind of super post containing both recipes:

1. Mini Gingerbread Bundt Cakes

I’m not a big gingerbread person, but these mini bundts ate like donuts and tasted like Christmas. I bought the bundt pan on a whim a while back although I’m not positive where I purchased it (probably Michaels). Keep a close eye on baking times. The original recipe calls for 30 minutes in the oven but mine didn’t take that long. Then again, I’m pretty unfamiliar with my new oven so it could’ve been a matter pertaining to the operator!

Mini Gingerbread Bundt Cakes
Source: These Peas are Hollow

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted then brought to room temperature
3/4 cup dark molasses
3/4 cup sugar
large egg
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup whole milk

Butter and flour a 12-cup mini bundt pan and preheat your oven to 350º

In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, allspice,
cloves, nutmeg, cocoa powder, cinnamon, and ginger.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the molasses, sugar, and butter until well combined.
Add the egg, and beat until combined.
Slowly beat in the milk and buttermilk.

In a few additions, beat in the flour mixture, scraping down the sides of the bowl between each addition.
Mix until just combined.

Fill each bundt pan cup about 3/4 the way full and smooth out the tops just a bit.
Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean.

Let cool in pan for about 20 minutes, then turn out onto a baking rack and cool completely.

2. Pumpkin Torte

Admittedly, in addition to not being a big gingerbread person I am not a big pumpkin pie person either! But pumpkin torte, with its four thick layers and variety of textures, is a different story. The top layer is cool whip and it only gets better from there on down: the custardy-pumpkin layer, the rich cream cheese layer, the buttery graham cracker crust. Oy.

Pumpkin Torte

Preheat the oven to 350º.

FIRST LAYER
2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 24 crushed crackers)
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup sugar

Mix all three ingredients well and press into a 9×13″ pan

SECOND LAYER
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
3/4 cup sugar

Beat all three ingredients until smooth.
Pour into graham cracker crust and bake for 20 minutes.

THIRD & FOURTH LAYERS

1 envelope Knoz gelatin dissolved in 1/4 cup cold water.
1 can (16 oz) pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
3 egg yolks (save the whites)
1/2 cup brown sugar + 1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Cool Whip

In a medium-sized pot over medium-low heat, cook the pumpkin, egg yolks, 1/2 cup brown sugar, milk, cinnamon, salt, ginger, and nutmeg.
Add the softened gelatin and stir until dissolved.
Let cool.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
Add the 1/4 cup of brown sugar to the egg whites.
Gently fold the egg white mixture into the cooled pumpkin mixture.

Cover the cream cheese layer with the pumpkin mixture and chill.
Once set, cover with cool whip.
Store in the refrigerator and serve cold.

I’ll be back to posting on the regular soon enough. We almost have all the boxes unpacked and sorted through and will start to decide on paint colors once my interior design guru (mom) can make a trip down to Philly to lend a hand. But I won’t bore you with the homeowner stuff just yet.

I’ve got an arsenal of recipes to try and to share so stick with me!