![]() ½ cup (113 grams or 1 stick) unsalted butter Regardless of the occasion, I’ll be making it again and again - as long as I remember to keep canned pumpkin puree stocked in my pantry at all times. Like many recipes I develop, this one-layer cake is versatile enough to be a treat to nibble on throughout the week (been there, done that) or a crowd-pleasing, seasonal dessert to share at the dinner table. The cozy, subtle flavors play off one another to create a cake that exudes everything I love about fall without relying solely on pumpkin or the classic spices to carry the dish. “Pumpkin brown butter whiskey cake” may be a mouthful, but with every bite, you’ll realize that each of these ingredients rightfully deserves a place in the recipe’s title. (I’m a firm believer that sweets are better with a bit of booze I have yet to be proven wrong.) Whiskey is the final piece that ties the dessert together, adding just the right amount of edge and depth to both the batter and whipped cream. Unlike other pumpkin-heavy recipes, this cake calls for just half a cup of puree - enough to impart the characteristic earthiness of pumpkin without monopolizing the overall flavor, and perfect for using up any leftover puree you may have in the fridge. Instead of using liquified butter, the brown butter is refrigerated until it’s solidified and creamable (a technique I picked up from this recipe), which requires some planning ahead but results in a tighter crumb while maintaining the browned butter’s deep nutty flavor. During the development process, I deliberately chose to omit the usual cinnamon and spices, and turned to brown sugar and brown butter to channel the same warm, autumnal notes on a cleaner canvas. This pumpkin brown butter whiskey cake fits the bill and then some. ![]() So why did I jump on the bandwagon and develop a pumpkin cake for this month’s column? Precisely because I wanted the challenge of creating a version that wasn’t dominated by spices, had a decently structured crumb, and worked in tandem with other flavors for greater nuance - in other words, a cake that would make my search for pumpkin puree worth it. Though I’ve come around to appreciating its namesake pie, I’ve found many pumpkin-flavored treats a bit too moist, heavy on the spice, and/or one-dimensional and predictable. I’d never been more relieved to see cans of pumpkin puree lining the shelf.Īmerica’s collective obsession with everything pumpkin continues to baffle me (I get it, but I don’t get it). ![]() By the time I entered the baking aisle at the third store, my feet were thoroughly soaked and I was peeved. Despite the suburban perks of having a car and several large grocery stores within driving distance, a quick errand was turning into a multi-stop scavenger hunt (in the pouring rain, no less). After finding the shelf at my go-to grocery store completely cleared of the familiar orange cans, I drove across the street to another major grocer - and again, no luck. Serve warm with pouring cream or cold custard.I was on the hunt for canned pumpkin puree, and so far, it was not going well. Turn the cake out onto a large serving plate and remove the tin and greaseproof paper. Remove the cake from the oven and leave to rest for 5 minutes. Spoon the batter over the oranges and marmalade, place in the oven and bake for 40 minutes, or until a small sharp knife inserted into the cake comes out clean. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until they develop stiff peaks, then quickly fold into the batter. Add the milk and the remaining flour, mixing until smooth. Add the vanilla and yoghurt, followed by half of the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the egg yolks one at a time and continue to gently mix. To make the cake, cream the butter and sugar together in a standing mixer using the whisk attachment until the sugar has dissolved. Combine the whisky and marmalade in a small bowl and spoon over and between the orange slices. Sprinkle the orange slices with the brown sugar. ![]() Place the orange slices in a nice pattern in the base of the tin. Grease a 23cm springform cake tin with 1 tablespoon of melted butter and line the base with greaseproof paper. Preheat the oven to 150C fan-forced (170C conventional). When cool, slice the orange in half and then across into 5mm slices, discarding any seeds as you go. When soft, transfer the orange to a bowl of iced water to cool it quickly. Check the water level occasionally so the saucepan doesn't run dry. Reduce the heat to a simmer, place a lid on the saucepan and cook for an hour. To make the topping, place the whole orange in a saucepan of cold water over medium heat and bring to the boil. ![]()
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