Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Maple Brown Butter Glaze

Looking for an alternative to the pumpkin pie that’s ubiquitous on everyone’s Thanksgiving table? Or maybe you just want a delicious dessert to serve at your next Sunday supper. This moist cake has all the right autumn flavors going for it – from pumpkin to cinnamon, allspice, cardamom and a touch of black pepper too. Plus it’s topped with a luscious glaze made with browned butter that adds a nutty taste, in addition to the maple syrup and confectioner’s sugar.The recipe comes from the New York Times, and it included toasted pepita seeds on top. I took it a step further and candied them. Just make sure you use either a Silpat mat or a piece of buttered aluminum foil. Otherwise you’ll have a hard time prying the candy from the pan.

 Be careful not to touch it until it cools. Once the candy cools and hardens, you can break it up with your hands, then sprinkle it across the top of the cake. The candy is also delicious as a topping on ice cream too.

Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Maple Brown Butter Glaze

printable recipe here

Ingredients

• RECIPE FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
• 1/4 tsp. ground allspice
• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
• 2 cups light brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, soft but cool
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1 can (15 ounces) pureed pumpkin
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• FOR THE GLAZE:
• 2 T. unsalted butter
• 1 cup confectioner’s sugar
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• pinch of salt
• 1 to 2 Tablespoons lightly toasted pepita seeds (optional)
• or candied pepita seeds

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees and lightly butter and flour a 12 cup or larger bundt pan.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, cardamom, allspice and black pepper until well combined.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine brown sugar, butter and olive oil. Beat on medium high until light and fluffy, about three minutes.
4. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing for about 20 seconds between each egg.
5. Add the pumpkin puree and the sour cream, and mix until well combined, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl.
6. Remove the bowl from the mixer, and use a rubber spatula to fold in the dry ingredients until well combined.
7. Make sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl to ensure an evenly mixed batter.
8. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top and firmly tap on the countertop a few times to release any large air bubbles.
9. Bake the cake until golden and puffed, and a tester in the center comes out clean, about 55 to 65 minutes.
10. Set the cake, still in the pan, on a rack to cool, about 20 minutes, then use the tip of a knife to loosen the edges and invert the cake onto the rack to cool completely before glasing.
11. TO MAKE THE GLAZE:
12. Once the cake is cool, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook the butter, occasionally scraping the bottom and sides of the pan with a rubber spatula, until it turns a deep golden brown and smells nutty. Don’t walk away from the pan during this process. The butter can go from brown and nutty to acrid and burnt in mere moments.
13. Transfer butter and brown bits to a bowl to a heat safe bowl and let it cool slightly. Whisk in the confectioner’s sugar, maple syrup and salt until smooth. The glaze should be thick but pourable. If it’s too thin, add more confectioner’s sugar. If it’s too thick, add water. (I added some milk to thin it down a bit.)
14. Transfer the cake to a serving platter and pour the glaze over the top. Sprinkle with pepitas if desired.
15. TO MAKE CANDIED PEPITAS:
16. Place about 1/4 cup sugar into a saucepan and heat at medium until the sugar melts and starts to turn a light golden color. Pour in some pepitas (1/4 cup or so) and stir for a few seconds to coat. Then pour the mixture onto a Silpat mat or a piece of aluminum foil that has been greased with butter. Careful not to burn your fingers. The melted sugar will be extremely hot. Let it cool, then break into bits.

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