Get the hand cuffs: Pumpkin bread/cake

Sometimes in life, something comes along that changes you, truly shakes you to the core.  You can mark chapters in your life by this thing, you remember where you were the first time you saw this thing, and you spend the rest of your life telling everyone you know about this thing – even when the conversation is totally not applicable.

The pumpkin bread/cake I make is one of those things. In fact, it’s “get out the hand cuffs” good, as in, I need to be arrested for making something so delicious and nutritious.  And everyone else needs hand cuffs to stop themselves from eating too much, too quickly.

Brace yourself. If you don’t like to cook with recipes, I totally feel you on this. It’s a very forgiving recipe, but if you can’t bring yourself to bake it, I’ll understand, honest.

For those that feel the need to introduce themselves to a new vice, proceed.

I give you, Pumpkin Bread/Cake (clever name, I know, I know).

Pumpkin Bread/Cake

Pumpkin Bread/Cake

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

4:29 PM

Bread/Cake:

1c. Nonfat, plain yogurt

2 & 3/4c. Sugar

3 Eggs

2-2 & 1/2c. Pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling, just plain pumpkin)

3 & 1/2c. Flour (I used gluten free rice flour, it worked like a charm, but any flour will do)

1/2tsp. Baking Soda

1tsp. Cloves

1tsp. Nutmeg

1tsp. All spice

1tsp. Cinnamon

1tsp. Salt

Frosting:

8oz. Cream cheese (regular, not nonfat)

1tsp. Vanilla extract

1/2c. Powdered Sugar (add more as needed, after first 1/2c. Is incorporated)

1Tbsp. Butter

Directions:

1. Cream butter and sugar together (can be done by hand, but if with mixer, on medium high for 4 minutes.)
2. Add eggs
3. Add pumpkin
4. Add dry ingredients in 3-4 batches (which you combined first in another bowl)
5. Grease two baking pans (I used 8×8″ square cake pans, great size, you can also use 2 rounds of 9″, 2 loaf pans of 8.5″ x 4″, or muffin tins, but I wouldn’t use muffin tins…)
6. Evenly pour batter into pans, and use spoon or rubber spatula to evenly distribute to the corners.
7. Bake @ 325 for 50 minutes. Check with a toothpick.

While it’s baking, mix up your frosting:

1. Mix room temperature cream cheese and butter till incorporated
2. Add powdered sugar
3. Add vanilla
4. Leave at room temperature to spread on bread/cake
5. Let bread/cake come to room temperature, preferably overnight before frosting

Tags: best dish, bread, cake, pumpkin, Recipe