♥ Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bars ♥

I promise you this is going to be the last pumpkin recipe of this month. The Halloween season can never be successful unless you make at least one pumpkin treats. And I bet you this is going to be the one you need! Cream cheese will no longer filled in a cake roll as an ornament but it turns out to be the character of these cake bars. With a hint of pumpkin pie spice that goes into the sponge, these cake bars will definitely become a hit at your party!

Adapted from The Girl Who Ate Everything

Make 16 squares

You'll need:

Cream cheese layer:

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cake layer:
1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)1 cup sugar1 egg1/3 cup vegetable oil1 cup all-purpose flour1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

How to make pumpkin cream cheese bars:

1. Preheat oven to 190C. Spray a 8x8" baking pan with cooking spray and line it with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. For the cream cheese layer:
   Blend together softened cream cheese, sugar, egg, and vanilla until smooth. Set aside.
3. For the cake layer:
   Combine flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside
4. In a separate bowl, mix together the pumpkin, sugar, egg and oil until well combined.
5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until just incorporated.
6. Pour batter into prepared baking pan, and spread to cover bottom of pan.
7. Add dollops of the cream cheese mixture over the batter. Cut through the batter with a knife.
8. Bake for 30 - 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
9. Cool on wire rack and cut into squares. Store in the refrigerator.

With all my love <3

Share:

♥ Pumpkin Donut Muffins ♥

Who doesn't like donuts? And who doesn't like muffins? To continue the Fall recipe series, I combined both popular desserts into one, adding leftover pumpkin puree. They come out to be pumpkin donut muffins! I also added a swirl of caramel into part of the muffin to add extra ornaments. But don't worry, it is optional and you can even use sweet potato puree if you don't have pumpkin in hand or they are not in season. Don't miss this amazing treat!

Make 12

You'll need:

1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup caster sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
2 1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup raw sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

How to make pumpkin donut muffins:

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Prepare muffin tray, line with muffin cups.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, add both sugar, eggs, oil milk and vanilla, mix to combine.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until well incorporated.
5. Divide the batter among the 12 muffin liners. Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into centre comes out clean. Allow to cool for 5 minutes.
6. Meanwhile they are baking, melt butter in microwave and in a small shallow dish, mix together raw sugar and cinnamon. 
7. Brush tops of muffin with melted butter and dip into the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
8. Preferably serve warm.

With all my love <3

Share:

♥ Pumpkin Swiss Roll with Cream Cheese Filling ♥

The pumpkin season is never boring, especially when you have tons of leftover pumpkin in the fridge. They can stay in the fridge for only 1 month, but can be freezed up to 3 months. However, I could not resist the urge to make pumpkin desserts and more baking treats because they are just wonderful in both taste and appearance. 

I am sure most of us will have learnt that pumpkin is always the perfect pairing with cream cheese frosting, or the other way round. This is what I have adapted in this recipe. I hope you give this recipe a try in this Fall. It is pretty easy as I replaced using self-rising flour instead of controlling the rising agent myself. It is never too late to make a pumpkin roll in Thanksgiving/Christmas too!

Adapted from LIBBY's recipe
Make 9" long roll, serve 10
You'll need:

3 eggs, at room temperature
1 cup caster sugar
2/3 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
3/4 cup self-rising flour, sifted
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
Powdered sugar, sifted, for rolling and decoration

1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1 (8oz) package cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup butter, softened

How to make pumpkin swiss roll:

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Prepare a 10"x15" jelly-roll pan, spray with non-stick cooking spray and line it with parchment paper, set aside. 
2. Sprinkle a lint-free kitchen towel with generous among of sifted powdered sugar, set aside.
   (Make sure enough powdered sugar is sprinkled so that the cake doesn't stick when rolling)
3. Beat eggs, sugar and pumpkin puree. Add in flour and spices until incorporated.
   (You don't want to overmix the batter)
4. Pour batter into prepared pan, level top evenly with spatula and bake in oven for 15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched.
5. Immediately loosen and turn the cake onto the prepared towel, carefully peel off parchment paper and roll up together with the towel starting from the narrow end. Cool on wire rack.
   (To speed up cooling process, place in the refrigerator for 20 minutes)
6. For the filling, beat cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth and fluffy.
7. Unroll the cooled cake, spread cream cheese mixture over cake with an offset spatula. Reroll cake. Wrap in plastic wrap and then with aluminium foil. Place in refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
   (Preferably overnight for easy cutting and filling with better texture )
8. To serve, sprinkle top with powdered sugar if desired.

With all my love <3

Share:

♥ Sugar-free Coconut Durian Ice Lollipop ♥

Having some left over durians at home? Get yourself a can of coconut milk and make ice lollipops! It's healthier without any additional sugar or stabiliser. I bet it's sugar and gluten free too! 

An ice lollipop mould is cheap and by mixing up your favourite fruits and drinks, you can easily satisfy your sweet tooth!

Make 4 lollipops
You'll need:

Ice lollipop moulds
Durian flesh (very ripe and super soft, but not bitter)
Fresh coconut milk (preferably milk, not water

How to make healthy sugar-free durian ice lollies:

1. Prepare some ice lollipop moulds, making sure they are grease-free and dust-free.
2. In a blender, blend durian flesh roughly, leaving some flesh to give texture.
3. Pour in coconut milk, mix well until milk turns a little yellowish.
4. Divide the coconut-durian mixture into ice lollipop moulds. Keep in the refrigerator and chill preferably overnight.
5. When serve, immerse ice lollipop moulds into warm/hot water for 5 seconds to release the ice lollipops.

With all my love <3

Share: