Apricot Filled Pumpkin Cake With Browned Butter Frosting Food

PUMPKIN CAKE WITH BROWN BUTTER ICING

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-2-inch round cake pan. Line pan with parchment, and butter the parchment. Coat pan with flour, and tap out any excess.
• In a large bowl, sift together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, salt, baking powder, and baking soda; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat sugar and butter together until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, and beat until combined. Add pumpkin puree and milk; beat until combined. Add reserved flour mixture; beat on low speed until just combined.
• Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake until a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Transfer the cake to a wire rack to cool. Let cake rest 20 minutes.
• Unmold cake. Using an offset spatula, spread icing over top of cake, and decorate with caramelized walnut halves.

GOLDEN PUMPKIN AND APRICOT LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• For Cake:
• Preheat oven to 350° F. Butter three 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Dust pans with flour. Sift first 6 ingredients into medium bowl. Blend Apricot Puree, pumpkin and buttermilk in small bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until fluffy. Gradually add sugar, beating until well blended. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla. Mix in dry ingredients alternately with pumpkin mixture, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Divide batter equally among prepared pans. Smooth tops. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes (cakes will not rise to tops of pans).
• For Frosting:
• Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar in medium bowl until fluffy. Add Apricot Puree, pumpkin and spices and beat until blended. Cut around pan sides to loosen cakes. Turn out cakes. Place 1 cake layer on platter. Spread 1 cup frosting over. Top with second cake layer. Spread 1 cup frosting over. Top with third cake layer. Spread remaining frosting over sides and top of cake. Garnish with dried apricot cutouts, if desired. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and refrigerate. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.)

PUMPKIN TRUFFLE POUND CAKE WITH BROWNED BUTTER ICING

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 12-cup fluted tube cake pan with shortening; lightly flour (or spray with baking spray with flour). In 1-quart saucepan, heat condensed milk and chocolate chips over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted. Remove from heat; set aside.
• In medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice and salt until blended; set aside.
• In large bowl, beat 1 1/2 cups butter, the granulated sugar and brown sugar with electric mixer on medium speed about 2 minutes or until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. On low speed, beat in flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with pumpkin until well blended (batter will be thick).
• Spoon 2/3 of batter (about 5 cups) into pan, bringing batter up about 1 inch on tube and on outside edge of pan. Stir chocolate mixture; spoon into center of batter, being careful not to touch sides of pan. Spoon remaining cake batter (about 2 cups) over filling; smooth top.
• Bake 55 to 65 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean and center of crack is dry to touch. Cool cake in pan 15 minutes. Remove from pan to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Place cooled cake on serving plate. In 1-quart saucepan, heat 1/4 cup butter over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Pour browned butter into medium bowl; stir in powdered sugar, vanilla and milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until spreadable (mixture will thicken as it cools). Let stand 1 to 2 minutes or until slightly cool; stir. Drizzle over cake.

APRICOT LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients; beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on high for 2 minutes. Pour into two greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. , Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely. , For frosting, in a small heavy saucepan, cook butter over medium heat for 5-7 minutes or until golden brown. Pour into a large bowl; beat in confectioners' sugar and orange juice. , Cut each cake horizontally into two layers. Place bottom layer on a serving plate; spread with half of the apricot preserves. Top with a second layer; spread with 1/2 cup frosting. Top with a third layer; spread with remaining apricot preserves. Top with the remaining layer. Frost top and sides of cake with remaining frosting., Sprinkle with nuts. Store in the refrigerator.