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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
difficulty Simple
makes 48 Cakelets
season Fall & Winter

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 cloves

Ingredients 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 flakes

Ingredients 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 syrup

Directions for the Pumpkin Rum Cakelets

  1. For the cakelets: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and prepare pan by spraying with the non-stick baking spray.
  2. Stir together the flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl.
  3.  In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, whisk together the buttermilk, baking soda, vanilla, maple syrup, rum and eggs. 
  4. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in the pumpkin puree and ground spices.
  5. Add the boiling water and whisk until the mixture is smooth.
  6. Pour the pumpkin mixture into the dry ingredients and whisk together until combined.
  7.  Slowly add the pumpkin mixture to the ingredients in the electric stand mixture and stir until just combined.
  8. 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.
  9. 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.
  10. Finish by poking the fat end of a hole clove into the pumpkin to make a stem.

Directions for the Red Velvet Cakelets

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. an prepare pan (s) by spraying with non-stick baking spray.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder.
  3. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, whisk together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food gel, vinegar, and vanilla.
  4. Slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined and the batter is smooth.
  5. Pour the cake batter evenly into the leaf shaped of the cakelet pans, (or into a 10 cup bundt cake pan).
  6. 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).
  7. 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.
  8. Using tweezers, gently tuck edible gold leaf into the veins of each leaf.  

Directions for the Chocolate Cakelets

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and prepare the pan(s).
  2. 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.
  3. Add the buttermilk, oil, and vanilla to flour mixture and mix together on medium speed until well combined.
  4. Add the eggs one at a time until incorporated.
  5. Reduce the speed and carefully and slowly add the boiling water to the cake batter until well combined.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. Finish the acorn cakelets by brushing the tops of acorn shapes lightly with maple syrup and sprinkling with the nuts and toffee pieces.

Kitchen Notes

Nordicware manufacturers divine cakelet and bundt pans. We use Gourmet Gold Flakes from barnabasgold.com to fill the veins of the red velvet leaf forms. Toffee pieces Toffee bits may be found in the baking aisle of most supermarkets. Room temperature eggs and buttermilk decrease cooking time and make it easier to incorporate ingredients without over mixing the cake batters.
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