Pumpkin Pecan Cake

Happy weekend everyone!

We recently celebrated my son’s 17th birthday and last Saturday we celebrated my daughter’s 20th birthday!! We spent the weekend at Niagara Falls, in Ontario. We had a lot of fun, due to the cold, we spent most of our time doing things indoors like bowling and eating! ;))

I still had some pumpkins left from our garden, made some soup and a pumpkin pecan cake. Pumpkin and pecan might be a bit an unusual combination but it turned out really yummy! This is probably going to be my last pumpkin recipe for this season, as I’m starting to think of gingerbread and other delicious holiday baked goods!

 

Pumpkin Pecan Cake

• 200 ml maple syrup
• 4 eggs
• 150 g butter, soft
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• pinch of salt
• 200 g grated pumpkin
• 120 g ground pecans
• 100 g spelt flour
• 1 tsp baking powder

-Whisk together the butter and the eggs, add the maple syrup, cinnamon, vanilla and salt. Add the pumpkin, pecans, flour and the baking powder, stir until well combined.

-Fill into a 8 x 12 baking form that is lined with parchment paper. Bake in preheated 375F oven for 40 minutes or until tester inserted into centre of cake comes out clean.

-Let cool completely, then cut into squares.

 

Enjoy!

Ursula 

 

Follow me on Instagram! littleswisslittlecanadian

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Pumpkin Spice Muffins

Happy 1st November!

Time sure has gone by fast since I posted my last recipe here. I hope you’ll forgive my lack of responding and also reading and commenting on blog posts.

We’ve been having a beautiful fall. I just love the colorful leaves and pumpkins and everything pumpkin spice!

Pumpkin Spice Muffins

Yields: 12

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup coconut sugar
• 2 cup spelt flour
• 1/2 cup oats
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp pumpkin spice
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• pinch salt
• Optional, add raisins, choc chips…
• Extra topping:
• 4 tbsp butter, melted
• 3 tbsp maple syrup
• 1/2 tbsp pumpkin spice
• 2 tbsp spelt flour
• 2 tbsp ground walnuts

-Preheat oven to 375F

-Mix together butter, milk, eggs, pumpkin puree, vanilla and coconut sugar. Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin spice, cinnamon and salt. Stir until well combined.

-Fill into 12 muffin tins.

-Mix together the butter, maple syrup, pumpkin spice, flour and ground walnuts.

-Spread the mixture evenly onto the muffins. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes, then lower temperature to 350F and finish bake the muffins for about 20 minutes or until tester inserted into centre of muffins comes out clean.

 

Enjoy!

Ursula 

 

 

 

 

 

Pumpkin Cookies

Happy Halloween!

I hope you are all having a fun and not too scary Halloween! Thinking back of those times when my kids were still little and impatiently waiting for this day to come. Such cute memories of my daughter mostly dressing up as a little princess, my son trying out different characters from cowboy to Star Wars Darth Vader 🙂

I’ve made these delicious, melt-in-your-mouth pumpkin cookies, all dressed up for Halloween, these are the perfect fall or holiday cookie, with a lovely pumpkin and spice flavor. Can be enjoyed with or without icing. I used maple butter as an icing.

 

 

Pumpkin Cookies

• 1/2 cup butter, soft
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 cups maple syrup
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups white spelt flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp cloves
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg

-Preheat oven to 350F/180C. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

-Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt, set aside.

-Cream together the butter, egg and maple syrup. Add pumpkin puree and vanilla, beat until creamy. Mix in dry ingredients. Drop on cookie sheet by tablespoonfuls, flatten slightly.

-Bake for 15-20 minutes in the preheated oven or until lightly browned. Let cool completely. Drizzle with maple butter or icing.

Tip: -Use 3 teaspoons of pumpkin spice. – Substitute spelt flour with whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour.

 

Enjoy!

Ursula

 

You can find me on Instagram: littleswisslittlecanadian

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spiced Sweet Potato Muffins

I’ve posted a picture of these muffins on Instagram back in October. The original recipe uses pumpkins, which I did use for the first batch and we just loved these muffins. The sweet potato came into use because I had no pumpkin on hand so I thought I just give it a try and it was surprisingly very yummy. I added some oat crumble and some maple caramel drizzle like I made for the Caramel Apple Sticky Buns, used only coconut sugar and maple syrup, otherwise followed Linda’s Spiced Pumpkin Loaf recipe from her blog sweetenufblog . Sweet potato as well as pumpkins are very healthy and I just love them. So feel free to use either, both are delicious!! Just made another batch this week to pack for my kids for school:)

 

 

Here are some other yummy pumpkin recipes:

Pumpkin-Oat-Squares

Pumpkin-Chocolate-Muffins

Pumpkin Spice Babka

 

Spiced Sweet Potato Muffins

Yields 12

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar, I used coconut sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1 1/3 cups sweet potato puree or pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• Glaze: Combine 1/3 cup icing sugar with 2 tbsp maple syrup
• Oat crumble: 1/2 cup oats, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1 tbsp maple syrup, 1 tbsp coconut sugar
• Optional: toffee bits, butterscotch chips, pecans

-In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Set aside

-In the bowl of a stand mixer using a paddle attachment, beat the butter for 1 minute. Add the brown sugar and beat until very light in colour and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each, and scraping down sides and bottom of mixing bowl. Beat in the maple syrup. The mixture will look curdled at this point! As you add the flour mixture it will come together.

-Remove the bowl from the mixer and using a wooden spoon stir in half on the flour mixture until combined. Add in the pumkin and stir until combined then add in the remaining flour mixture and stir until no streaks of flour remain. Fold in the nuts.

-In a small bowl mix together the oats, cinnamon, maple syrup and coconut sugar.

-Fill into prepared muffin tins, smooth out the top with an offset spatula or knife, then sprinkle some of the oat mix on top.

-Bake in 325F preheated oven for about 30-40 minutes until top springs back lightly when touched. Or a tester inserted into centre comes out clean.

-Let cool completely then drizzle with the maple glaze.

-Tip: Double the oat crumble recipe if you like to have a thick crumble top.

 

Thanks again for the recipe Linda!

I hope you’ll give it a try!

Enjoy!

Ursula

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pumpkin Spice Babka

This is just a simple sweet yeastbread filled with pumpkin and spices and glazed generously with spiced maple syrup. I just love the smell and taste of this. I usually make babkas (Nussstriezel) filled with ground hazelnuts or almonds, I was surprised how good it was with a pumpkin filling.

Nothing complicated for the filling, just pumpkin puree sweetened with coconut sugar, spiced it up with cinnamon and pumpkin spice mix. For the dough I used my sweet yeastbread recipe that you can find here: Almond Croissants just changed the flour ingredients to 200 g unbleached all-purpose flour and 100 g spelt flour and spiced it up a bit by adding 1 tsp vanilla extract and 1 tsp cinnamon:)

 

 

Pumpkin Spice Babka

Dough:

• Almond Croissants
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp cinnamon

 

Pumpkin Spice filling:

• 200 g pumpkin puree, (not pumpkin pie filling)
• 3 tbsp coconut sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice mix

Spiced Maple Syrup Glaze

• 3 tbsp maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice mix

-Prepare dough in advance, it needs at least 1 hour to rise. In the meanwhile prepare your pumpkin filling by mixing together pumpkin puree, coconut sugar and spices.

-Whisk together maple syrup, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice mix, set aside.

-Line a loaf pan or a baking sheet with parchment paper

-When doubled in size, roll out dough into a rectangular shape. Then spread pumpkin filling evenly all over. Start rolling dough up from the longest side, like you would for a cinnamon bun and gently pinch ends together. Cut log lengthwise in half so filling is exposed, pinch one end. Twist both pieces, pinch the other end to secure.

-Place in prepared loaf pan or baking sheet. Cover and let rise for another 30 minutes.

-Bake in preheated 350F/180C oven for 40 minutes.

-About 25 minute into baking brush some of the syrup onto babka. Bake until golden brown. Remove from stove and brush with remaining syrup. Let cool before cutting.

 

–Make sure your spice mixes are not old, it looses its flavor over time.–

 

Wishing everyone a happy weekend and to all my Canadian friends a happy Thanksgiving!

Enjoy!

Ursula

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pumpkin-Chocolate-Muffins

Living in the Country is just so beautiful! I love seeing all the animals and be able to spend a lot of time in my garden. It is just so relaxing. Besides my beloved flowers I have a large herb garden, different berries, two apple trees and our vegetable garden. Growing your own fruit and vegetables is very rewarding and healthy and good exercise;)

 

Pumpkins are a good source of vitamins like beta-carotene and contain lots of minerals. I really like muffins and I just had to try this recipe out. Years ago I received this little recipe book from my niece who lives in Quebec. It contains recipes from class mates at her school. I am using coconut oil instead of vegetable oil, less sugar and part whole wheat flour. Delicious!

 

Pumpkin-Chocolate-Muffins

• 4               eggs
• 1cup        pure cane sugar
• 2cups      pumpkin puree
• 1 1/2cup  coconut oil
• 1 1/2cup  whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2cup  unbleached white flour
• 2tsp         baking soda
• 2tsp         baking powder
• 1tsp          cinnamon
• 1tsp          sea salt
• 2cups       dark chocolate(chopped) or semi-sweet chocolate chips

 

-In a large bowl, beat eggs and sugar. Add coconut oil and pumpkin puree, mix until smooth.

-Combine whole wheat and white flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.

-Add to pumpkin mixture and mix well. Fold in chocolate chips.

-Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups 3/4 full.

-Bake at 350F/180C for 15-20 minutes or until tester inserted in center comes out clean.

-Yield:24

Happy baking!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pumpkin-Oat-Squares

I have always been interested in other countries-their people, traditions and of course food. Every Country has its unique specialities. I grew up in Switzerland where there are lots of specialities that are specific to certain regions. Also the influence of neighboring countries making it very interesting. And that given the small size of Switzerland.

Used to Swiss and mostly European foods it was very adventurous coming to Canada and trying out new things that I have never seen before! Also I should say, just the size of my new home country was an adventure alone!

Take a simple Muffin, or a Cupcake-I actually never had or seen one as a child! It is funny to see that now there are Cupcake Shops in Switzerland!

As it is getting closer to December I will be thinking of Christmas Cookies. But I am not ready for that. I felt more like Pumpkin than Gingerbread.

Usually Oat-Squares are filled with Fruit fillings but I had some Pumpkin puree left so I changed things up a bit.

Oat Mix

• 1cup         unbleached white flour
• 1 1/2cup  oats
• 1/2cup     coconut oil, melted
• 1/2cup     pure cane sugar
• 1/4cup     honey

Pumpkin filling

• 2cups     pumpkin puree
• 1/2cup    maple syrup
• 1/4cup    coconut milk
• 1tsp         cinnamon
• 1/2tsp     nutmeg

Mix together flour, oats, melted coconut oil, cane sugar and honey. Put half into the bottom of a greased square pan, pat it down firmly.

In a small saucepan, warm up pumpkin puree, maple syrup and coconut milk. Remove from heat and add cinnamon and nutmeg.

Pour filling over crust and cover with the remaining oat mixture.

Bake at 350F/180C for about 40 minutes or golden brown.

 

 

Enjoy!