Gold Marzipan Pumpkins Acorns And Leaves Food

CARAMELIZED-APPLE SPICE CAKE

Steps:

• Put 1/2 stick butter into a large nonstick skillet. Using the tip of a paring knife, scrape seeds from vanilla bean into skillet, and toss in pod. Cook over medium heat until butter is lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Stir in apples, cider, and 1 cup granulated sugar. Raise heat to medium-high, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes. Reduce heat to low, and cook until apples are golden and translucent and liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Discard vanilla pod. Let cool.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 8-by-2-inch round cake pans. Dust with flour, and tap out excess. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. Reserve 1/4 cup flour mixture.
• Beat remaining 2 sticks butter, remaining 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, and the brown sugar with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Reduce speed to medium, and add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Reduce speed to low. Beat in flour mixture in 2 batches, alternating with the sour cream and scraping bowl as needed. Add remaining 1/4 cup flour mixture to apple mixture, and toss. Fold in apple mixture and pecans.
• Divide batter between prepared pans. Bake until tops are dark golden brown and a toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean, 55 to 65 minutes. Let cool for 30 minutes on a wire rack. Run a knife around edges of cakes to loosen. Unmold cakes, and let cool, right side up, on rack.
• Assemble cake: Trim each cake so it's 1 3/4 inches high. Place 1 cake, cut side up, on a cake stand. Spread 1 1/2 cups buttercream over top. Place remaining cake, cut side down, on top. Spread 1 cup buttercream over entire cake. Refrigerate until firm, about 45 minutes. Spread remaining frosting over cake. (Cake can be refrigerated, uncovered, overnight.)
• Before serving, decorate with marzipan pumpkins, acorns, and leaves.

MARZIPAN PUMPKINS

Steps:

• Place marzipan on a clean work surface. Cut in half. Add a few drops of orange food coloring to one half; knead with your hands until uniform in color. Add more food coloring as needed to achieve desired color. Shape into 3/4-inch balls. Use a toothpick to make indents in tops of balls for stems and press creases along outer edges from top to bottom for pumpkin ribs.
• Divide remaining marzipan half into two pieces. Add a few drops of brown food coloring to one piece; knead with your hands until uniform in color. Add more food coloring as needed. Roll into small ropes to use as stems.
• Add a few drops of green food coloring to remaining piece of marzipan; knead with your hands until uniform in color. Add more food coloring as needed. Roll out to a 1/8-inch-thick round. Cut out leaves using a small leaf-shaped cutter. Attach stems and leaves to tops of balls, pressing with a toothpick to adhere.

GOLD MARZIPAN PUMPKINS, ACORNS, AND LEAVES

Steps:

• For Pumpkins 1. Roll room-temperature marzipan into 1 1/2-inch spheres (squat or rotund). With a flat toothpick dipped in vegetable oil, draw lines from top to bottom of each pumpkin. 2. With wide end of toothpick, create an indentation in top of pumpkin for a stem. Create stems by rolling bits of marzipan, and press into top of each pumpkin. 3. Brush pumpkins lightly with gold-pearl luster dust and stems with gold-sparkle luster dust. Let dry overnight. For Leaves 1. On a surface lightly coated with confectioners' sugar or cornstarch, roll room-temperature marzipan to 1/4-inch thickness. Using leaf-shape cutters, create leaves. 2. Use a toothpick or paring knife to create veins. If desired, twist and curl leaves slightly. Brush lightly with gold-sparkle luster dust. Let dry overnight. For Acorns 1. Roll room-temperature marzipan into 1/2-inch spheres for the acorn body. Roll one end into a point. Roll about 1/3 of the amount of marzipan used for the acorn into a sphere for the cap. With the clean eraser of a pencil or a gumpaste tool, such as an embosser, press a hole on underside of cap. Gently press cap onto acorn. 2. With a flat toothpick dipped in vegetable oil or a paring knife, create a crosshatch pattern on each cap. Create stems by rolling bits of marzipan, and press into top of each cap. 3. Brush acorns lightly with gold-pearl luster dust. Let dry overnight.