Baked in Tradition

I never really liked pumpkin, until I came back to the East Coast. In fact, I don’t think I even thought about it much. Winter squash around here is about as common as a cold. It always graced our Thanksgiving dinner table. I never realized how up close and personal I would get with pumpkin, particularly butternut squash. Around here at the end of September we have an event called Foliage. People on the East Coast jam the highways and avenues to watch the changing leaves. This being a very strenuous activity, people eventually need to stop and refuel.

These occasions find people looking for authentic New England food. The butternut squash is part of the authenticity. In the past, during the height of leaf season, I think I’ve cooked over 85 pounds of stuff. Peel, cut, steam, mix, etc, etc, over and over again.

The thing with this squash, though, is that there are inevitably a lot of experts involved in the preparation. I’m sure the old recipes are passed down from one side to the other, from one side of the coast to the other. I can hear it now… “No, you don’t use cinnamon, it’s just nutmeg”, “Maple syrup, fine, but molasses is better”, “What do you mean you used olive oil instead of butter ?!” There is one thing I know, and that is how to cook butternut squash.

Butternut squash is harvested in the fall after the vines begin to die back, and then stored in a cool, dry place and can last for 6 months. The most annoying thing about butternut squash is the preparation, not only is it oddly shaped, it makes it worse. The nasty film that covers your hands as you peel it off. You already know that there are facial peels, which refresh your face. This is similar, it is a peeling for the hands. If you had fun in grade school with Elmer’s glue, then peeling the pumpkin will keep you busy. However, for me, I was constantly trying to remove the film. Hey, you can wear gloves, knock yourself out. I found that it was better to be able to hold it and peel it, rather than use the gloves and take my chances. They are slippery and get slipperier as you peel them. But I’m talking about fighting cases at the same time. By the way, those were good times, peeling pumpkins with co-workers, enjoying the breeze. We sure are good at it, so that makes us experts.

I wanted to blog about butternut squash, but not in the traditional sense. I want to make a dessert with it. Pie, it’s too easy because it’s very similar to pumpkin, in fact it’s from the same family. Evaporated milk, puree, spices, sugar, eggs, blah blah, a custard. Baking with it would be similar to pumpkin. It would give moisture, which would result in a tender cake. The frosting would be the deciding factor. You need a big frosting. Something unusual, something unique.

Pumpkin Layer Cake with Caramel Clove Frosting

1 cup of butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar
2 cups of cooked pumpkin puree
3 eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups of flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon of nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
3 teaspoons of baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2/3 cup buttermilk

CARAMEL AND CLOVE FROSTING

1 cup butter (softened)
3 cups of sifted icing sugar
2 tablespoons caramel topping
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 teaspoons of whipped cream

In a bowl, cream the butter and sugars together. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add butternut squash and vanilla extract and mix. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, ginger, and black pepper and whisk. Starting with the flour mixture, adding to the creamed butter and sugar, alternating with the buttermilk, until just incorporated. Pour evenly into two well-greased 9″ round cake pans. Bake at 350F for about 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, which means uncooked dough is not yet sticking to toothpick. Cool completely and remove from pans.Dome cakes (cut so they are level).

For the frosting, place the butter in a mixing bowl fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on high speed until the butter is light and fluffy. Add the sifted powdered sugar little by little, until it is all incorporated. Blend on high for a few minutes. Add the caramel, vanilla extract, and cloves and whisk together. While beating add the 2 teaspoons of whipped cream. Freeze the cake as best you can.

PS I’m horrible at icing cakes, it is what it is.

Always serve too much hot fudge sauce on hot fudge sundaes. It makes people rejoice and puts them in your debt. ~Judith Olney

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