Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice BY JACKIE LOUDIN
While 2020 has proven to be more than a difficult year, and there seems to be little most folks agree on these days, I think − I hope − we all can agree that we love fall. For me, fall came early this year. My calendar said the first day of autumn was Sept. 22, but Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts had other ideas. They both debuted their seasonal menus, overflowing with pumpkin spice goodness, in late August. In fact, with an Aug. 27 release date, this is the earliest Starbucks has ever made available their famous Pumpkin Spice Latte (or PSL as we perennial pumpkin lovers call it). I’ve even been treating myself almost daily to a homemade version by sprinkling a little pumpkin spice into my morning coffee. If you’re not a fan of pumpkin spice, that’s OK. We can still be friends, as long as you don’t mind if I bring my PSL to our coffee talk! And speaking of pumpkin spice goodness, here’s a delicious recipe from our friend Amanda Marie, a wife, mom, Georgia native and blogger. You can find more recipes, and follow along as she and her husband renovate a colonial home in Canton, at www.sincerelymariedesigns.com.
34
TOWNELAKER | October 2020
Amanda Marie's
Pumpkin Spice Cake with Brown Sugar Glaze
Pumpkin Spice Cake
• 4 large eggs • 1 cup oil • 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour • 2 tsp. cinnamon • 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. baking soda • 1 tsp. baking powder • 2 cups pureed pumpkin
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat the eggs, oil, and sugar together until combined and fluffy. In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, cinnamon, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Add 1/2 cup at a time into the egg mixture mixing well after each addition. Add in the pumpkin and mix until combined. Pour into a greased bundt pan and bake for 50-60 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then turn out the cake onto a cooling rack to finish cooling.
Brown Sugar Glaze
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar (firmly packed) • 3 Tbsp. water • 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1 Tbsp. amber agave nectar • 1 3/4 cups powdered sugar • 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional garnish)
Once the cake has cooled bring the brown sugar, water, butter and agave to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stirring well, boil for one minute over medium-low heat. Remove from heat and whisk in the powdered sugar until well combined. Pour over the cooled cake and top with roasted, chopped pecans if desired.
