Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

These cupcakes are perfectly spiced and moist. The cream cheese frosting adds a touch of sweetness and the nut topping a nice crunch. I made them for a bake sale at my son's school and they were gone. Fast. We didn't even get one... So we went home and I made another batch the next day! Happy Halloween!

Makes 12 cupcakes

For the cupcakes:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour = 125 g de farine
• 1 teaspoon baking powder = 1 cuillère à café de levure
• ½ teaspoon baking soda = ½ cuillère à café de bicarbonate de sodium
• ½ teaspoon salt = ½ cuillère à café de sel
• 1 ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon = 1 ¼ cuillère à café de cannelle
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger = ¼ cuillère à café de gingembre en poudre
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg = ¼ cuillère à café de noix de muscade en poudre
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves = ¼ cuillère à café de clou de girofle en poudre
• 2 eggs = 2 oeufs
• 1 cup pumpkin purée (canned or homemade) = 245 g de purée de citrouille
• ½ cup (packed) brown sugar = 100 g de cassonade
• ¼ to ½ cup sugar = 50 à 100 g de sucre
• ½ cup vegetable oil = 120 ml d'huile végétale

For the frosting:

• 4 oz. cream cheese, softened = 110 g de cream cheese (Philadelphia ou équivalent), ramolli
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened = 45 g de beurre, ramolli
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract = ½ cuillère à café d'extrait de vanille
• 2 cups confectioners sugar = 250 g de sucre glace
• 1 tablespoon milk (optional) = 1 cuillère à soupe de lait (facultatif)

For the topping:

• ¼ cup chopped walnuts or pecans = 30 g de noix ou de noix de pecan, concassées

Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180° C. Line muffin tins with 12 paper liners.

In a bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and spices.

In another bowl, beat together the eggs, pumpkin purée, sugar, brown sugar, and vegetable oil. Add the flour mixture, in two batches, and stir until combined.

Fill cupcake tins three-quarters full and bake for 20 to 24 minutes. Set aside to cool completely.

Meanwhile, to make the frosting: in a large bowl, beat together cream cheese, butter and vanilla extract until fluffy. Gradually add sugar and mix slowly until completely incorporated. For a thinner, more spreadable consistency, add one tablespoon of milk and blend well.

Spread the cupcakes with the cream cheese frosting and top with nuts. Enjoy!

 

 

 

Sweet and Spiced Butternut Squash Stew

Easy and satisfying vegan dish with all the flavors of autumn. Adjust the spices to your liking (think cumin, turmeric, curry).

Serves 4

• 1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes = 1 boite de tomates concassées (800 g.)
• ½ cup currants or raisins = 70 g de raisins secs
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger = ½ cuillère à café de gingembre
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon = ½ cuillère à café de canelle
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg = ½ cuillère à café de noix de muscade
• Dash ground coriander = une pincée de coriandre
• Salt and pepper = sel et poivre
• ½ red onion, cut into wedges = ½ oignon violet, coupé en demi-lunes
• 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1” chunks = 1 courge butternut, épluchée, dépépinée et coupée en morceaux de 2-3 cm
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar = 1 cuillère à soupe de cassonade

Place the tomatoes (and their juices) in a 6-qt slow cooker. Add the raisins,spices, salt and pepper.

Add the onion and squash, sprinkle brown sugar over the top. Cover and cook until squash is tender, about 5 hours on low or 3 hours on high.

Ladle into bowls and serve with crusty bread. Enjoy!

Maple Apple Crumb Loaf

Sometimes, a picture is worth a thousand words... or maybe I am just over-tired and not inspired to write much. In any case, go ahead. Bake. This. Loaf. Now. You're welcome!

Makes 1 loaf

For the batter:

• 1 ½ cup white whole wheat flour = 180 g de farine
• 1 teaspoon baking powder = 1 cuillère à café de levure
• 1 teaspoon baking soda = 1 cuillère à café de bicarbonate de soude
• Dash nutmeg = une pincée de noix de muscade râpée
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon = 2 cuillères à café de cannelle en poudre
• 4 tablespoons butter, softened = 60 g de beurre, ramolli
• 2 tablespoons applesauce = 2 cuillères à soupe de compote de pommes
• ½ cup maple syrup = 120 ml de sirop d'érable
• 1 egg = 1 oeuf
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract = 1 cuillère à café d'extrait de vanille
• ⅓ cup buttermilk = 80 ml de lait ribot
• 1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled and diced = 1 grosse pomme verte, épluchée et coupée en petits dés

For the topping:

• ⅓ cup flour = 40 g de farine
• 3 tablespoons cold butter, diced = 40 g de beurre, bien froid, coupé en petits dés
• ⅓ cup brown sugar (packed) = 65 g de cassonade

 Preheat oven to 350°F / 180° C.

Sift dry ingredients (flour through cinnamon) together. In a separate bowl, combine remaining ingredients, except the apple. Add the dry ingredients to the wet in two batches and mix until just combined. Fold in the apple. Pour batter into a 9 x 5-inch greased loaf pan.

 

Mix the topping ingredients together (with your fingers or a pastry cutter). Sprinkle mixture and press gently into the batter. Bake for 50-55 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly on a serving platter. Enjoy!