Perfect little portioned Spiced Pumpkin Cakes with a Maple Cream Cheese Frosting!
When do you turn on your Christmas music? Start watching Christmas movies? Put up your tree? Our family, traditionally, has ALWAYS gone the day or two after Thanksgiving to chop down a tree, then we bring it back, let it settle and decorate it the next day. But always before the Thanksgiving weekend is over. With spiked Eggnog of course.
The music and movies..I generally don’t start listening to and watching until after Thanksgiving as well..I try not to anyway..hate to rush the seasons. However, I feel like time is flying so fast this year that by starting it all a little earlier, it’ll maybe make the holiday season feel a little bit longer. One can only hope, right? I’m craving the holiday spirit!
But, since Thanksgiving isn’t here yet, we can still talk about Pumpkin! No need to rush the food aspects of the holidays..I’m savoring every last one!
These little pumpkin cakes are about the size of a cookie. They’re so cute! AND technically they’re pre-portioned..so you don’t have to eat an entire half of a cake and call it a slice..Not sure if I know anyone who has done THAT before! 😉 What can I say, I love cake. But that’s why these are like a mini pumpkin cake!
They are soft, crumbly, moist, spiced pumpkin flavored cakes, with a maple cream cheese frosting. You will love the frosting, because the maple pairs so perfect with pumpkin..and cinnamon, well don’t you all love cinnamon? I wish I had one of these for breakfast. Oh, if you didn’t know already, cake for breakfast is perfectly acceptable during the holiday season!
Perfect little portioned Spiced Pumpkin Cakes with a Maple Cream Cheese Frosting!
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup pure pumpkin
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup chopped pecans, plus extra for garnish
- 3 ounces softened cream cheese
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon maple extract
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon half and half
Directions
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees, and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugars.
- Beat in the pumpkin and vanilla.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients into the wet, and mix until just combined.
- Stir in the pecans.
- Using an ice cream scoop, drop in 1/4 cup increments, 2-inches apart, onto the baking sheets. The batter will be sticky, but slightly press down so they're flattened on top and not rounded.
- Bake for 12-13 minutes until lightly browned and cooked through.
- Remove from the oven, allow to cool for 2-3 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- To make the icing, using a hand mixer, beat together the cream cheese and powdered sugar. Once smooth, add in the maple extract, cinnamon, and half & half. Mix until smooth.
- Once the cakes are cool all the way through, spread with frosting, and garnish with pecans. Enjoy!