Thanksgiving is just around the corner. Great excitement; the paper turkeys can once more grace the window sill. That’s not a metaphor for something. I mean actual paper turkeys. And also paper pumpkins and garland. Gotta love a theme.
I remember our first Thanksgiving. Chicago. Snow. Fantastic parade featuring Pilgrims wearing Ugg boots.
And though it’s not snowing here in NY, it’s the kind of weather where a cup of tea and a slice of cake is most appreciated. This spiced pumpkin apple cake has all the flavors of fall, and, if you ever so slightly under cook it, it takes on a texture somewhere between cake and pie, damp and soft. For a cakier cake, add a tbsp more flour and cook for the full hour. Once baked and cooled we’re on to the really good part; a beautiful buff maple glaze, or a full on cream cheese maple frosting.
Either way, it’s a perfect Monday treat.
Spiced Pumpkin Apple Cake
3/4 cup of pumpkin puree (I use Whole Foods organic unsweetened pumpkin) 1 apple 1 ¼ cup flour ¾ cup sugar 1 tsp baking powder Pinch of salt 1 ½ tsp pumpkin spice (or 1 tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp ginger, ¼ tsp nutmeg) 2 large eggs ½ cup vegetable oil ½ cup plain yogurt Oil or butter for greasing the cake tin- Preheat the oven to 350f
- Grate the apple and squeeze out the juice in your hands. Put into a mixing bowl with the pumpkin, flour, sugar, baking powder and spices
- In a separate bowl or jug mix the eggs, yogurt and oil until smooth then add to the dry mix and stir to combine
- Scrape into a greased cake tin (I use a loaf tin about 9 by 6 inches) and bake for 50 – 60 mins (you want to top to be slightly browned)
- Cool for 30 mins in the pan before turning out
- Leave for another 30 mins to cool before frosting
Maple Glaze
This sweet, almost smoky glaze is an elegant and simple finishing touch
1/4 cup + 1tbsp maple syrup 1/2 cup confectioners (icing) sugar 1/2 tsp lemon juice- Sift the icing sugar into a bowl, and mix in the maple syrup until you have a thin spreading consistency
- Drizzle over the cake and leave to set for an hour
Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
So this is full on frosting greatness. It really is totally delicious – the kind of frosting you might want to eat with a teaspoon out of a shot glass if you have a sweet tooth. It’s delicious on coffee cakes too – for a full size cake (frosting and filling, double this recipe)
75g cream cheese 25g butter 1/2 tbsp maple syrup 1/2 cup confectioners (icing) sugar ½ tsp good vanilla ½ tsp cinnamon- Make sure the butter and cheese are at room temperature, then cream them together in the mixer until soft and smooth (or by hand, but it’s going to take 5 mins of mixing)
- Add the vanilla, cinnamon and maple syrup and stir to combine
- Sift in the icing sugar and mix until incorporated into a thick spreadable paste – if it’s too hard, add a few drops of milk
- Spread over the cake
If You Can Make That You Can Make This
- Decorate the top of the cake with walnuts or pecans
- Add a handful of walnuts to the batter
- Or pecans
- Or dried cranberries
- Use the icing to top a coffee cake
- Or try this spiced apple loaf cake
- Or be adventurous and try one of these cakes
I love pumpkin bread/cake, and the addition of apple sounded good, but I was wary of the maple– and pleasantly surprised!
Love the website and the drawings and stories. It’s like a J. Peterman catalogue for cooks!
Keep ‘em coming!
Ha! I’m so glad you’re enjoying the maple – and the blog!
I love idea of a glaze on the cake. I have some people in te family who aren’t that keen on icing so I could use the glaze and then maybe put the frosting on cupcakes (it sounds too good not to have any frosting!). Yum!
It’s really good frosting, but as you can see from the picture, I made it with the glaze this time – it’s really easy and quick – and tastes much more complex than it is. It’s good on apple cake and on plain loaf cakes too. Somehow the maple syrup stops it being too sweet – I know that doesn’t sound entirely rational, but there’s something about the smokiness … also, it’s a very glamorous buff color. Lovely.
as you know, i only seem to cook on holidays.. and i knew you wouldn’t fail me with thanksgiving inspiration. this sounds amazing!
Happy Thanksgiving! Glad you like the sound of the cake – it’s a good thing to have around over the holiday for impromptu snacking.
I just made a variation on this frosting for a banana bread I discovered on 101 cookbooks – 1/4 cup icing sugar, 1/4 cup dark brown sugar, 4 tbsp lemon juice. Very nice.