Pecan & Spiced Baby Cakes

Fall season is making its way soon!  I believe it begins on September 22, 2010.  I look forward to the fall season all the time because it reminds me of my childhood while walking down the street with my little brother in New York.  I enjoy the changing colors of leaves from the trees, the breath of fresh air, the smell of fall.  Sometimes when it rained the day before, I would go with my brother and shake the trees the very next day to pretend it's still raining.  Fall also gives me the butterflies because it's another year I celebrate my anniversary with my love, David.

So tempted by the beautiful fall, I wanted to make something that reminds me of the smell of the holidays filled with cinnamon and spices.  Tonight, I made Pecan & Spiced Baby cakes.  The toasted pecans give these little ones an abundance of flavor.  I hope you’ll enjoy the recipe.

(You can always make Bundt Cake with this recipe)

Pecan & Spiced Baby Cakes

Serving:  30 mini cakes or 12 mini cakes + small bundt cake

Ingredients

7 oz – Finely chopped pecans, toasted before chopping

4 oz – Butter, room temperature

3 oz – Granulated Sugar

3 oz – Brown Sugar

2 – Eggs, room temperature

7 oz – All Purpose Flour

1 tsp – Baking Powder

½ tsp – Baking Soda

1 ½ tsp – Ground Cinnamon

½ tsp – Ground Ginger

¼ tsp – Ground Clove

1 tsp – Ground Nutmeg

¼ tsp – Salted

1 ½ tsp – Vanilla Extract, optional

½ Cup – Buttermilk

1 Tbsp – Confectioner’s Sugar, optional for dusting

Procedure

1.        Toast the nuts, let cool and finely chopped them.  Set aside.

2.       Cream butter until fluffy, gradually add the sugars and scrape the bowl several times.  Mix until combined.

3.       Add eggs while mixing in medium speed until smoothly, but do not over beat.

4.       Sift all dry ingredients together and set aside.

5.       Combine vanilla extract with buttermilk.

6.       With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the batter in 3 stages while alternating with the buttermilk mixture (Make sure you finish your mixing with the dry ingredients last.  For example: mix flour in 3 parts, liquids in two alternating).

7.       Fold in the toasted pecans and use a scoop to divide the batter evenly.

8.       Preheat oven to 350F and bake for 12 – 15 minutes, depending on your oven.