It’s a busy time of year, so why not have some of your favorite holiday recipes pull double duty as thoughtful gifts? Whether in need of a useful hostess gift, a little something for a neighbor, or coworker, or a crowd-pleasing dessert for your own holiday table, the following recipes have you covered.
Pumpkin Pie Cake
Serves 12-16
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 ½ cups canned coconut milk (see notes for substitution)
4 eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 (15.25-ounce) package yellow cake mix (may substitute spice cake mix; your favorite 15-ounce gluten-free mix may be used)
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (or a mix of both—use 1 ½ cups if you like lots of nuts)
½ cup unsweetened grated coconut, optional
¾ cup butter, melted
Optional for serving: vanilla ice cream or whipped cream
1. Preheat the oven to 350° F, and grease a 9×13-inch baking pan.
2. In a large bowl, beat the pumpkin puree, canned milk, eggs, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and salt until smooth. (You may use an electric stand mixer, hand beater, or simply whisk well by hand.)
3. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Wash and dry the bowl, and then add the cake mix, nuts, and optional coconut. Drizzle the melted butter over all, and stir to thoroughly mix.
4. Use a clean hand to sprinkle the cake mixture (it will seem like wet crumbs) evenly over the pumpkin mixture. Do not stir.
5. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until the center feels just barely firm.
6. For serving: You may serve right away, although I prefer this cake once it has cooled completely. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream as desired. The cake can sit at room temperature for the first day—cover and refrigerate beyond that. Prior to serving, return the cake to room temperature or enjoy cold.
Notes: As an option, one 12-ounce can of evaporated milk (not sweetened condensed milk) may be used. When using canned coconut milk, full fat or light may be used. Just make sure to stir well to fully mix the coconut water and thick cream that tends to separate and rise to the top of the can.
Online bonus:
Sparkling Cranberries
Yields 2 Cups
2 cups or one (12-ounce) bag fresh cranberries
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup water
3/4 cup additional granulated or sanding sugar for rolling (see notes)
1. Rinse and drain the cranberries, and discard any damaged or squishy ones. Place in a bowl and set aside.
2. Combine the 1 cup granulated sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and allow the simple syrup to cool for 5-10 minutes. Pour the mixture over the cranberries in the bowl. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
3. Drain the cranberries in a colander over a bowl, reserving the steeping liquid, if desired. (The syrup will be infused with cranberry flavor and is delicious in lemonade, cocktails, etc.) Spread them out on a cooling rack (placed over a baking sheet or foil to catch the drips), and let dry for an hour. You want the cranberries to be tacky but not wet. (This helps the sugar to stick to the berries without clumping.)
4. Place the 3/4 cup sugar in a zip-top plastic bag—a paper bag works well, too. Add the cranberries, and gently shake to coat them with the sugar. Spread the sugared cranberries in a single layer on a baking sheet, and let stand at room temperature for one hour or until dry.
5. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to a week. Use as a garnish or a snack. (Taste-wise, they are tart-sweet and still have a crunch to them. They are meant to keep their structure rather than soften during the soaking process.)
Note: Originally, I found that superfine or sanding sugar was better for achieving an evenly coated, glistening cranberry. However, once I allowed them to dry on a rack for an hour after draining, I found that plain old granulated sugar worked well. If the cranberries are tossed with the sugar immediately after draining, there is still a lot of liquid clinging to them, and this makes the granulated sugar especially clumpy.
If you prefer the finer look of sanding or superfine sugar, you can create your own by briefly processing or blending granulated sugar. Don’t blend too long, however, or you will end up with powdered sugar.
Eggnog Quick Bread
Yield: 1 standard loaf or 3 mini loaves
2 cups (240 grams) all-purpose flour (may substitute an all-purpose gluten-free blend; weights will vary)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
½ cup dried cranberries (optional)
½ cup butter, softened
1 cup (192 grams) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup (240 ml) eggnog (I use Turkey Hill Egg Nog)
2 teaspoons rum extract (see notes for options*)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For The Optional Eggnog Glaze:
1 cup (120 grams) confectioner’s sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla OR¼ teaspoon rum extract OR2 teaspoons rum
2 to 3 tablespoons eggnog
1. Preheat the oven to 350° F, and grease 3 mini loaf pans or one standard-size loaf pan.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and optional dried cranberries. Set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar. (A handheld or stand mixer may be used.) Add the eggs, beating after each addition. Then mix in the eggnog, rum and vanilla extract.
4. Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture, half at a time, mixing until the flour is just incorporated. Be careful not to over mix.
5. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan(s), and bake the mini loaves for 35-40 minutes and the standard size loaf for approximately 55-60 minutes. Check a few minutes early and add time as needed—cooking times will vary based on precise dimensions of pans and individual ovens. (Helpful tip: The internal temperature when taken with a quick-read thermometer should read 200° F.)
6. Cool 10 minutes, and then remove to a cooling rack. Cool completely before wrapping in plastic wrap or storing in a zip-top bag. May freeze.
7. If using the glaze, place the sugar in a small bowl and add the extract or rum. Stir in two tablespoons of the eggnog, and then add just enough additional eggnog to achieve a smooth, drizzling consistency. If you want more of an icing, keep the mixture on the thicker side. If you accidentally add too much liquid, simply stir in a little more confectioner’s sugar. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled loaves and let dry before wrapping.
Notes: As an option to the rum extract, ¼ cup of your favorite light or spiced rum will work well—and I really like Malibu rum in this recipe, as the tropical notes complement the eggnog and spices. Using rum instead of extract will add slightly more liquid to the batter but will be ok. Optionally, you may skip the rum flavoring altogether, and increase the vanilla to 2 teaspoons.
This recipe can also be baked in a greased 8-inch square baking dish or a 9-inch round cake pan. Check early and watch carefully to determine precise cooking time when changing the pan size. When serving as a cake, the glaze is an especially nice option.
Online Bonus:
Rosemary Roasted Cashews
Yield: 3 cups
3 cups raw cashews (375 grams/13 ounces)
1 ½ tablespoons (21 grams) extra virgin olive oil or melted butter
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced
1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt* and a few turns of the pepper mill
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1. Preheat the oven to 375° F. Gently toss all of the ingredients together in a bowl. When the nuts are evenly coated, spread them in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. (For easy cleanup, line the baking sheet with parchment paper.) Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring after 7 or 8 minutes, or until golden brown. I like to see one side that’s really nicely toasted and brown. Until you know precisely how long this takes in your oven, check the nuts every couple of minutes after the first stir, and watch closely towards the end to avoid burning.
2. The cashews will become crisp as they cool. Once cool, store in an airtight container or jar.
Notes: These nuts will taste lightly salted as not all of the salt will cling to the nuts. If you prefer saltier nuts, use a fine grain table or sea salt, as the finer grains will tend to cling a bit better. If desired, add a teaspoon or two of chopped fresh thyme along with the rosemary.
Find more recipes from Ann at FountainAvenueKitchen.com
