Now that’s some good eats…
Well, with all of my “Fall” baking, you knew at some point you would see some pumpkin. And well, here it is. In fantastic cake form. This cake originally had many more components to it, as many of Desaulniers recipes do, but I simplified it. Now you may be looking at the recipe thinking, that is simple? I would like to point out that I didn’t say IT was simply, just simplified. I must say that this is one of the tastiest cakes I have made in awhile, and well, I bake a lot of cakes as you know. This cake is so moist from not only the pumpkin but the buttermilk(yes, again with the buttermilk). It also has a wonderful brown sugar icing(yes, again with the brown sugar icing). This icing is very different from the one with the spice cake. It is creamy, and tangy(like you would swear there is a little cream cheese in there…but there is not). It is interesting to spread though and I highly suggest you make a crumb coat. The butterscotch filling is very light and reminds me of the mousse that I had in my wedding cake. I was sooooo happy to discover this filling, for I loved my wedding cake and now that I have a filling that tastes similar I plan to recreate my wedding cake…well the flavors at least(a cake decorator I am not…if you want proof just look at the cake in the pictures). If you are at all a pumpkin fan, I know you will be loving this cake!
P.S. Just 39 more days until NHL hockey starts(but I’m sure you all already knew that! :P)
Pumpkin Butterscotch Cake
Pumpkin Cake
¼ pound unsalted butter
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground cloves
½ tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp salt
¾ cup 100% natural solid pack pumpkin
½ cup nonfat buttermilk
½ cup tightly packed light brown sugar
½ cup sugar
2 large eggs
½ tsp vanilla extract
Grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan. Combine together in a medium bowl flour, baking soda, spices, and salt. Set aside.
Place pumpkin and buttermilk in a small bowl and combine thoroughly. Set aside.
In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment cream together the butter and sugars. Beat on medium for 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl . Increase speed to high and beat an additional 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl. Add the eggs and beat on medium for 30 seconds. Add the vanilla and beat on high for 30 seconds. With mixer on low alternate adding the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients into the mixing bowl. Mix until just combined. Remove the bowl from the mixer and use a rubber spatula to finish mixing the batter, until smooth and thoroughly combined.
Immediately pour the cake into the prepared pan, spreading evenly. Bake on the center rack of a preheated 325F oven. Bake for about 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and cool in the pan for 15 minutes at room temperature. Invert cake onto a plate or cake circle. Turn the cake upright and refrigerate until needed.
Butterscotch Walnut Filling
¾ cup heavy cream
¾ cup sugar
¼ tsp fresh lemon juice
¼ pound unsalted butter, cut into 4 1 ounce pieces
1 cup walnuts, chopped
Heat cream in a saucepan over medium-low heat, until hot(do not allow to boil or simmer). Combine sugar and lemon juice in a separate saucepan. Stir with a whisk to combine(the sugar will resemble moist sand). Caramelize the sugar for 4 to 5 minutes over medium high heat , stirring constantly with a whisk to break up any lumps. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Add the hot cream, one half at a time. Add the butter, on piece at a time, stirring to incorporate before adding the next piece. Cool in the refrigerator for 45 minutes before placing in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on high for 2 minutes, until light(but not fluffy). Add the walnuts and stir to incorporate. Set aside for a few minutes.
Brown Sugar Icing
2 cups tightly packed brown sugar
1 cup heavy cream
½ pound unsalted butter, cut into 8 1-ounce pieces
¼ tsp cream of tartar
Heat brown sugar, heavy cream, 2 1-ounce pieces of butter, and ¼ tsp cream of tartar in a 3 quart saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring frequently while bringing the mixture to a boil. Allow the mixture to continue boiling while stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Transfer the bubble hot mixture to a 3-quart stainless steel bowl and allow to stand at room temperature for 1 hour before proceeding. Place the cooled mixture int the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle. Beat on low for 30 seconds. Then beat on medium for 2 minutes, while adding the remaining 6 pieces of butter, one at a time, until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the sides of the bowl. Increase the speed to high and beat for an additional 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat on high for an additional 1 minute until light and fully. Transfer 1 cup of icing to a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip, and place in the refrigerator until needed.
Assemble the cake:
Remove the cake from the fridge. Taking a serrated knife, split the cake horizontally. Spread butterscotch filing on the bottom layer of the cake, evenly spreading the filling to the edges. Place the pumpkin cake top layer on top of the butterscotch filling. Press gently but firmly to level the layers. Refrigerate the cake for 20 minutes. Remove the cake from the refrigerator and use a cake spatula to coat the top and sides of the cake with the icing. Pipe a circle of twenty brown sugar icing stars along the outside edge of the top of the cake. Refrigerate the cake for 30 minutes before cutting and serving.
Adapted from Desserts To Die For by Marcel Desaulniers, 1995
August 26th, 2007 at 12:59 am
Oh my heavens it’s GORGEOUS! It looks so moist and tender– I want to dive right in! This is definitely going into the “to make” pile… Just sumptuous!
August 26th, 2007 at 2:38 am
That looks and sounds absolutely divine….except for the 2 cups of sugar in the icing
I think that would be a bit much for me - would I be able to cut it down to just 1 cup without too much of a problem do you think?
August 26th, 2007 at 4:55 am
Wow!! The cake looks Spectacular. I will be adding this of my must trys. Love your site.
August 26th, 2007 at 7:42 am
That sounds fabulous - and I don’t know what you’re talking about when you say you’re not a cake decorator!
What would you think of Kabocha instead of pumpkin, to really intensify the pumpkin flavor?
August 26th, 2007 at 8:09 am
I’m so ready for fall too! This heat is making me think twice about turning the oven on. I love pumpkin cake and your butterscotch filling with walnuts is a sure killer!
August 26th, 2007 at 8:18 am
Wow this is so impossibly beautiful that you should get a medal for it! I now know what I’m making at Thanksgiving this year instead of the ragged old pumpkin pie for dessert!
BZ
August 26th, 2007 at 1:27 pm
I dear God, I could bury my face in that cake, it looks that good. Wow.
August 26th, 2007 at 1:27 pm
I can not wait for Autumn!!! The smells.. the colors.. the crispness of the air.. *swoon* There is nothing better than the fall season for sure.
This cake is made up of flavors that are in my top 10 - so, obviously, I’ll be making this one!
xoxox
August 26th, 2007 at 1:57 pm
I can see why this recipe is from a book “Desserts to Die For”! I’m ready!
August 26th, 2007 at 3:24 pm
Yum — I love pumpkin cakes. I’ll have to give this one a try in the cooler days ahead.
August 26th, 2007 at 5:56 pm
I want a BIG piece of that right away please! Pumpkin, spices, walnuts, butterscotch and brown sugar icing…it’s like autumn in a cake. I think your decorations are charming and that icing….tooo yummy looking.
August 26th, 2007 at 9:38 pm
Speechless. This cake is so beautiful, so lovely, so wonderful. You always come up with the very best idea!
August 26th, 2007 at 11:54 pm
Wow! That looks amazing. Wish I could have a slice. It looks so moist and indulgant, I can almost taste it
August 26th, 2007 at 11:55 pm
Ahhh! (Big exhale of breath.) That looks so fabulous. I want to put a big forkful of it into my mouth right now! You are amazing!
August 27th, 2007 at 5:13 am
Hmmm…I love pumpkin and sweet potato cakes…this one looks scrumptious and if anything is going to usher in autumn for you, then it must be this!
August 27th, 2007 at 8:09 am
A fabulous stunning cake! and I have the book
August 27th, 2007 at 9:26 am
This looks amazing! I like the idea of using pumpkin in cake. The Butterscotch Walnut filling sounds great.
August 27th, 2007 at 9:50 am
So lovely!! I can’t wait for fall - I will roll out your pumpkin cheesecake recipe again, wear more fun fall clothes and beging baking!! (well, as much baking as I will do all year that is)
August 27th, 2007 at 10:11 am
Peabody… you have outdone yourself again!
Beautiful =D
August 27th, 2007 at 2:13 pm
Wow ! this cake is absolutely perfect, I envy you my cakes never ever looks lovely,and i don´t know why.But I am happy to see the other people cakes like this wonderful and lovely cake
August 27th, 2007 at 2:41 pm
Oh. My. Goodness. I seriously don’t think it gets any better than this!!!
August 27th, 2007 at 3:47 pm
pumpkin, butterscotch, AND walnut??? three of my favorite baked good ingredients, all combined into one decadent treat - genius!! exceptional craftsmanship on the frosting there!!
August 27th, 2007 at 5:35 pm
wow. i am drooling! fall is my favorite season for baking and thanks forg etting me in the mood!
August 27th, 2007 at 6:23 pm
Mmm this looks like the perfect Thanksgiving dessert. The filling will have a hard time making it onto the cake if a spoon is within my reach.
August 27th, 2007 at 9:18 pm
Hi there! This cake looks gorgeous! Your frosting looks divine. I wish I can make such a beautiful cake likes yours. I guess it’s back to the kitchen for more practice! =)
August 28th, 2007 at 12:26 am
Goodness, Peabody. You’re killing me with all the Fall flavors. I was just scoping out Donna Hay’s feature on pumpkin in one of her magazines….YUM. And you can just keep rolling the brown sugar icing out. Oooooh, yah.
August 28th, 2007 at 5:36 am
No, no Peabody, I need you by my side to keep me hockey oriented and please bring this cake with you!
I need some of that!
August 28th, 2007 at 6:38 am
It looks so pretty it is almost too pretty to want to eat! Almost….
August 28th, 2007 at 7:35 am
Peabody,
Am I reading this correctly…there is only one cake pan??? The cake looks much higher than one layer split in half,
thanks,
Judy
August 28th, 2007 at 8:37 am
That’s a seriously amazing cake. I love how you frosted it, too. May I have a small slice, please?
August 28th, 2007 at 10:26 am
Anything with pumpkin,goes down in my recipe book~once again you have out-baked yourself! This is a perfect cake….I am wondering if i could really do this?
August 28th, 2007 at 3:14 pm
Oh my god, that’s perfect for Thanksgiving.
August 28th, 2007 at 6:03 pm
That looks incredibly rich and delicious! Yum!
August 28th, 2007 at 6:34 pm
OMG. I can almost taste the caramel looking at that. I want it. I HAVE to make that this year for thanksgiving.
August 28th, 2007 at 9:35 pm
I want some NOW! It looks pretty AND delicious.
September 1st, 2007 at 11:55 am
Holy Moly! This is delicious-looking! Bookmarked!
September 2nd, 2007 at 6:04 pm
ohhh wow looks amazing!!!
out of curiousity…the recipe only calls for one pan…so did you double the recipe to make the double layer? and if so did you need to double the icing?
September 4th, 2007 at 12:25 pm
Pea,
This is a gorgeous cake! I’ve been contemplating baking it since you posted it. And it’s decorated so simply…yet elegant.
Curious…do you think that this could work the same with apple butter? I’m cooking dinner for a friend and he adores apple desserts. I think the apple and brown sugar combination would go over quite well.
Now, that butterscotch filling might not fare well with apple but that is easily fixed by subbing the brown sugar frosting. *scratching head* Or maybe a caramel mousse with the walnuts…
September 21st, 2007 at 11:40 am
Lordy, I have just found the cake I’m making for my birthday next month! That sounds fantastic, and looks gorgeous.
September 29th, 2007 at 3:35 pm
[…] All of these fortunate circumstances got me a craving for more of this Autumn-ish air of things. And a few days ago as I watched a batch of gorgeous grapefruit coming my way, all colored in red and orange tones, all I could think about was baking an autumn cake. What’s an Autumn cake and why was there a batch of grapefruits coming my way? A) I didn’t know either, at the time I was thinking about this fantastic looking cake at Peabody’s. B) That’s my job, sorting fruit at a packaging house. […]
October 11th, 2007 at 2:43 pm
I made this cake for Thanksgiving and it was awesome! I did have a little trouble with the icing as it didnt get very thick and I over mixed and it broke. I make it again and just put it in the fridge for a bit before icing the cake. Any sugestions you may have on this would be wonderful.
This has already been requested for Christmas!
Thanks for the great recipe.
October 18th, 2007 at 4:17 pm
You captured the essence of fall in this cake! It must be as scrumptious as it is beautiful.
October 21st, 2007 at 10:39 pm
I was brought here by a link from La Mia Cucina. What a beautiful looking cake that I must find an excuse to make.
October 27th, 2007 at 7:51 pm
This looks absolutely delicious! Mmm….butterscotch is my favorite!
January 5th, 2008 at 7:44 am
did you really only use one 9-inch cake pan for this cake? or did you double the cake recipe and use two? would you have to double the icing?
only asking because i definitely plan to make it, lol - how could i resist?! just LOOK at it!!
January 6th, 2008 at 5:08 pm
I want to see your wedding cake!! I saw La Mia Cucina’s rendition of this cake and her website credited this one. Both cakes look great. I am going to make this for sure.
January 19th, 2008 at 9:18 am
Made this last week and it is AMAZING. I didn’t make the filling or the frosting, and I doubled the recipe and baked in in a 9×13, but oh my word… Incredibly moist and perfectly spiced. Thank you!