Pumpkin Cake with Walnut Crunch Topping

Dear Diary...

... I might have made a huge mistake. Might.

I volunteered to host a dinner at my house. You know... not just any dinner. Christmas Eve dinner.

See, because here's the thing. It's exciting to me. I'm honestly, genuinely, really excited about it. I've planned about 6 desserts so far. I picked out 4 appetizers. And unfortunately due to the fact that I've only got 5 confirmed guests, I think I'm going to have to scale back a bit. 

The part that I'm not fully sure I'm excited about is the actual dinner itself. I don't have a great relationship with things that roast in the oven. I want to work on this relationship. It's an important relationship. But it's still new and fragile and I just don't think I'm ready to out that relationship to the world yet. It's closeted behind my oven door. I love Italian food and a small part of me really wants to recreate my childhood with a Feast of Seven Fishes, but the more influential part of me, the part which understands my bank account, says no. 

The thing is, I really want to put something in the oven. I want to set it and forget it, so to speak. I don't want to spend the whole night sauteing or boiling or grilling or whatever. So like.. gimme some ideas. Please?

And I'll share this cake! I found the original recipe at The Noshery and I instantly fell in love. It's yummy. It's nutty. It's crunchy and sweet. It's pumpkin and sugar and  butter and delicious spices! And share some holiday secret recipes with me pleeeeaaseeee.

Soundtrack:


  Your Floor Is Now A Tree by AIMES

Pumpkin Cake with Walnut Crunch Topping
Adapted from The Noshery

3/4 c of brown sugar

2 sticks unsalted butter, divided
3/4 c chopped walnuts
1 2/3 c ap flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice

1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 c sugar
1 tsp vanilla

2 large eggs
1 c pumpkin puree
1/2 c warm (110 degrees) milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Place brown sugar in a 9 in round cake pan and spread around. In a small saucepan, melt 1 stick of butter over medium heat. Pour butter over sugar into cake pan and stir with a fork to combine until sugar is dissolved. (Reserve pan to the side for later use.) Press the walnuts into the cake pan, spreading into an even layer. Spray exposed sides of pan with cooking spray and set aside.

Sift the ap flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, salt, baking powder, and baking soda into a medium bowl and set aside. 

Melt the remaining stick of butter in small saucepan over medium heat. Beat the remaining stick of butter, sugar, vanilla, eggs, milk and pumpkin together in a large bowl until combine, about 2-3 minutes. Add flour mixture to wet mixture, stirring with a spatula and scraping down sides until just combined.

Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes in the pan before inverting the cake onto a cooling wrack and cooling completely.

Chipotle Mango & Zucchini Bread

That's right. I said chipotle. Just a little, don't get any crazy ideas here. Just a tang.

Looks so innocent and sweet, but don't let that fool you!

Long weekends are aaaa-mazing aren't they? It's Sunday today, but no Monday blues tomorrow! The thing about Philadelphia 4th of July weekend, is that it's deserted. Not desserted, that would be awesome, but deserted. Everyone's gone "down the shore." It's sort of nice, the peace and quiet. Until Monday when the hoards will come in from the suburbs and descend upon the Art Museum area for the fireworks and live music (Just reminded myself of this movie trailer, 1:00 minute in lol). But for now, I feel like I'm alone in the big city! Ok, that's a bit of an exaggeration; there are certainly people around, but you catch my drift. This has been one much needed long weekend of relaxation. And I'm certainly going to need it considering my plans for next weekend. (No sleep 'til Brooklyn, people.)

Btw, I'm still thinking about a desserted Philadelphia and wishing I was better at Photoshop. I would put donuts around the sky scrapers, a giant Franklin Fountain ice cream sundae atop the state building, William Penn on city hall would be holding a birthday cake (for America obvs)... etc.etc.etc. All in good ole' red, white and blue. It's the thought that counts sometimes.

Anyway, this bread is NOT one of those "thought that counts" instances. It's delic. It's a great summer bread; Florida mangoes are in season (making them cheaper!) and zucchini is coming out of the garden (or you can definitely find some locally grown very easily!). The bread is moist and flavorful; the chipotle adds just a tiny zip to make things interesting.

The recipe was derived from the basic Sweet Zucchini Bread from The Joy of Cooking. Subbed half the oil for some yogurt to cut the fat (I also just think it makes for a moister bread), subbed in some wheat flour, and added some cut up mango and chipotle seasoning.

Soundtrack: Old Crow Medicine Show (ROCK ME MAMMA LIKE A WAGON WHEEELL. No question, it's going to be stuck in my head all day.)

Chipotle Mango & Zucchini Bread 

Makes 1-9x5 loaf

1 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 c. whole wheat flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/8 tsp ground chipotle seasoning

2 large eggs

3/4 c. sugar

1/4 c. vegetable oil

2 tbs plain yogurt

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups finely chopped zucchini, squeezed of excess water (interesting process)

1 large mango, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 9x5 loaf pan; set aside. Combine in a medium sized bowl the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and chipotle with a whisk; set aside.

In a larger bowl, beat the eggs. Add in the sugar, oil, yogurt, vanilla and salt. Continue to beat until blended. Add dry ingredients and stir until combined.

Add zucchini and mango, and using as few strokes as possible, stir these into the mixture.

Pour into the loaf pan and bake for 45 minutes. The bread will pull away from the sides when done. Don't try the toothpick trick, you might still get some stuff on it, as it's a very moist bread!

Chopping, using my immersion blender attachment

Cutting mangoes is really very pretty, huh?

The dry stuff

GOD I LOVE THIS THING! hehehe

Mixin' it together

Stir in chopped zucchini