Sweet Things
Pumpkin Rum, Red Velvet & Dark Chocolate Cakelets
Fabulously festive, these cakes are a trio of complimentary flavors that may be baked in small form in delightful bite-sized desserts for a New England inspired dessert board, or one cake at a time in large bundt cake pans. Yes, making three different cake batters takes some time, but the cakelets may be cooled and frozen for up to one month before serving--the finishing touches added just before serving. When the leaves begin to fall from the deciduous trees in autumn, find a few blazing leaves and press between the pages of a cookbook. The dried leaves make a lovely backdrop for the cakelet display and are a prepared in advance, festive treat to look forward to following the Thanksgiving feast.
cuisine
American
season
Fall & Winter
difficulty
Simple
makes
48 Cakelets
Ingredients for Pumpkin Rum Cakelets
3 cups all-purpose flour 2 cups sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt 1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature 2 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup 2 large eggs, room temperature 1 cup unsalted butter, softened 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon allspice 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 1 tablespoon dark rum 3/4 cup boiling water Non-stick baking spray 24 whole clovesIngredients for Red Velvet Cakelets
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 cups sugar 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt 1 1/2 teaspoons cocoa powder 1 1/2 cups safflower oil 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature 2 large eggs, room temperature 2 tablespoons red food gel 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract Non-stick baking spray Edible gold leaf flakesIngredients for Chocolate Cakelets
2 cups all-purpose flour 2 cups sugar 3/4 cup unsweetened dark cocoa powder 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon espresso powder 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature 1/2 cup coconut oil 2 large eggs, room temperature 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 1 cup boiling water Non-stick baking spray 1/4 cup hazelnuts, finely chopped 1/4 cup toffee pieces, finely chopped 2 teaspoons maple syrupDirections for the Pumpkin Rum Cakelets
- For the cakelets: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and prepare pan by spraying with the non-stick baking spray.
- Stir together the flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl.
- In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, whisk together the buttermilk, baking soda, vanilla, maple syrup, rum and eggs.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in the pumpkin puree and ground spices.
- Add the boiling water and whisk until the mixture is smooth.
- Pour the pumpkin mixture into the dry ingredients and whisk together until combined.
- Slowly add the pumpkin mixture to the ingredients in the electric stand mixture and stir until just combined.
- Pour the batter into the pumpkin shaped forms of the prepared pan (or into a 10-cup bundt cake pan). Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 45 minutes for a bundt pan and 18 to 20 minutes for mini cakelets.
- Remove the cakelets from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Carefully, invert the the pan onto a wire rack to cool.
- Finish by poking the fat end of a hole clove into the pumpkin to make a stem.
Directions for the Red Velvet Cakelets
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. an prepare pan (s) by spraying with non-stick baking spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder.
- In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, whisk together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food gel, vinegar, and vanilla.
- Slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined and the batter is smooth.
- Pour the cake batter evenly into the leaf shaped of the cakelet pans, (or into a 10 cup bundt cake pan).
- Bake the cakelets for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean,(or 45 minutes for the bundt cake pan).
- Remove the cakes from the oven and invert the cakelets onto a plate and then re-invert them onto a cooling rack, Let cool completely.
- Using tweezers, gently tuck edible gold leaf into the veins of each leaf.
Directions for the Chocolate Cakelets
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and prepare the pan(s).
- In the bowl of an electric stand mixture, add flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt and espresso powder. With the paddle attachment, stir until combined.
- Add the buttermilk, oil, and vanilla to flour mixture and mix together on medium speed until well combined.
- Add the eggs one at a time until incorporated.
- Reduce the speed and carefully and slowly add the boiling water to the cake batter until well combined.
- Pour the cake batter into the acorn shapes of the cakelet pans or into a 10 cup bundt pan. Bake cakelets for 18 to 20 minutes (45 minutes for bundt cake pan), or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center of the chocolate cake comes out clean.
- Remove cakelets from the oven, set on a wire baking rack and cool for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Finish the acorn cakelets by brushing the tops of acorn shapes lightly with maple syrup and sprinkling with the nuts and toffee pieces.
