Pumpkin Pound Cake with Maple Buttermilk Glaze.

I haven't blogged in a few weeks. Wah.  Halloween is in 2 days so I'll treat you all to a joke. Why did the ghost go to the bar?.....to get some BOOze. Thank you, thank you.  School has been keeping me busy with midterms and such as for the past couple weeks.  Tonight I have my cake decorating midterm. Wish me luck! I'm working on sending out my resume's for co-oping...that's always exciting. Wooooo.  I'm also working on figuring out my classes for next semester which is exciting to see everything come together....kinda.  I have no motivation to go out in this cold and windy weather so I will be sure to pack my hot tea and be on my way to class tonight. As far as this pound cake goes....delicious.  Made it yesterday afternoon while momma's chili was simmering away on the stove. Great combo. Try it sometime. .....I will also be doing my blog for my pumpkin roll in the very near future!

Ingredients: For the cake:
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin 
3/4 cup sugar 
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar 
1/2 cup butter - softened 
4 large eggs 
1 teaspoon vanill
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice 
1 teaspoon baking powder 
1/2 teaspoon baking soda 
1/2 teaspoon salt 
3/4 cup fat-free buttermilk

For the glaze: 
1/3 cup fat-free buttermilk 
1/4 cup sugar 
2 tablespoons butter 
2 teaspoons cornstarch 
1/8 teaspoon baking soda

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 350°.

-Lightly coat a 10-inch tube pan with cooking spray; dust with 1 tablespoon flour.
-Spread pumpkin over 2 layers of paper towels; cover with 2 another layer of paper towels. -Let stand about 10 minutes. Scrape drained pumpkin into a bowl.

-Place 3/4 cup granulated sugar, brown sugar, and 1/2 cup butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed 3 minutes or until well blended.
-Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
-Beat in pumpkin and vanilla.
-Combine flour and next 4 ingredients (through salt) in a bowl, stirring well with a whisk. -Add flour mixture and 3/4 cup buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture.

-Spoon batter into prepared pan.
-Bake at 350° for 55 minutes.
-Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack.
-Remove from pan, and cool completely on wire rack.

-To prepare glaze, combine 1/3 cup buttermilk and remaining ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat; bring to a boil.
-Cook 1 minute or until thick, stirring constantly; remove from heat. Drizzle cake with glaze.

Soft Pumpkin Cookies

First off, if anyone has a deep love for accounting, come on over and do my homework for me. Thanks.
This past week I had my midterm in my baking class.  We had to make soft roll dough by ourselves.  Chef was nowhere to be found while we all were in the kitchen making the bread....ironic.  My mind is so scatterbrained right now, so I don't really have anything of importance to say.  As opposed to me ever having anything important to say..... I've had 2 cups of hot tea already today trying to stay warm. It's not working.  However, these pumpkin cookies I baked yesterday go great with a warm cup of tea! Just sayin'.  
.........but really....this accounting book that is looking at me right now as I type this....it's all yours to the first person who says they love it.

Ingredients:
For the cookie-1 cup butter flavored shortening
1 cup unsalted butter - softened
2 cups sugar
2 cups canned pumpkin 2 eggs
2 teaspoons baking soda
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups all-purpose flour

For the cream cheese icing-
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese - softened
2 tablespoons butter - softened
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons milk

Directions:
For the cookies:
-Cream shortening, butter, white sugar and pumpkin.
-Add eggs and mix well.
-Sift together the baking soda, ground cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, salt and flour. -Add to pumpkin mixture and mix well.
-Drop from spoon to cookie sheet.
**make sure the spoonful is a pretty big spoon full**
-Bake 13-15 minutes at 350 degrees.

For the icing:
-Mix the cream cheese with the butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract, and milk in a bowl.
-Heat in a microwave for 15 seconds.
-Drizzle spoonfuls over the cooled cookies and smooth with the back of a spoon or a spatula.