Alright, I'm going to say it... I miss Thanksgiving.
I love being around family, and friends and getting to go back for seconds and thirds without being judged. Once you get married (and sometimes before you get married) you have to split holidays, so every other year I miss out on prepping with my mom! This year it worked out perfectly - I was able to spend the whole day before Thanksgiving with her prepping all the food, and we had a blast!
Hands down my favorite thing I got to
Thanksgiving day rolled around and we got up early to head to the Turkey Trot. Yes, my husband has a nasty mustache. Yes, it's Movember. But, I was unaware that he was participating, I came home from said prepping for turkey day and found it on his face. (Note: It's gone now)
Anywho, to the food: pumpkin whoopie pies, filled with cream cheese (and bourbon) frosting then rolled in candied pecans. Yea, they don't disappoint.
Ingredients for the cakes:
*Adapted from Epicurious
1 and 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground
cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground
ginger
1/4 teaspoon freshly
grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground
cloves
1 cup packed light brown
sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla
extract- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a whoopie pie pan. (You do not actually need to use a whoopie pie pan, but if you have one it's convenient!)
- Beat all of the ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Scoop the mixture in 1 tablespoon dollops and onto your cookie sheet (or whoopie pie pan)
- Bake for about 12 minutes until cakey. Set aside to cool.
Ingredients for the cream cheese (and bourbon) filling:
*Adapted from Epicurious
6 ounces plain cream cheese, softened
3/4 stick (6
tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cups confectioners'
sugar
1 tablespoon bourbon
(substitute 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
-
Beat together all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl and put the bowl into the fridge.
1/2 cup of pecans, roughly chopped
1/3 cup of white sugar
- Place the sugar and the pecans in a small frying pan and heat at medium low heat. Try not to mess with it until the sugar starts to caramelize (it turns brown). As the brown crystals start to form give it a stir and try to coat the pecans with the caramelized sugar.
- When there is no more white sugar in your pan, pour the pecans onto tinfoil and set aside to cool.
- Make sure your pumpkin cakes are 100% cool - otherwise your frosting will melt!
- Spread 1 tablespoon of frosting onto one of the pumpkin cakes, and smash another one onto it - making the actual sandwich.
- Roll the outsides in the candied pecans.
- EAT UP!
One more shot from Thanksgiving - the pie!
How was your Thanksgiving!?