Case Study 35: "The Enchanted Pumpkin"

Shakespeare famously warned, "'Tis now the very witching time of night, when churchyards yawn and hell itself breathes out contagion to this world." The autumn season holds more than just apple cider and falling leaves, for at its heart is the most frightful of holidays. Before candy corn began hitting stores in August, and every costume was a naughty one, I always found a sort of romantic and sad madness in the Halloween season. That rather than be about gore and fishnets, what lies within is truly about bewitchment and mystery. It's what is unseen and then assumed in the stolen glances and enchanting moments that brew the magic.

"The Enchanted Pumpkin" is a light pumpkin cupcake with a maple cream cheese buttercream encrusted in toasted pecans and topped with a cinnamon frosting.

It's the haunting face of the jack-o-lantern as the fire turns his flesh inside out. The silhouette of a black bird perched on a freshly bare branch against the crooked icy moon. It's the slightly unnerving feeling that for one night in the world someplace in time, things were not quite as they seemed.

Dusty Springfield - Spooky - Watch more Videos at Vodpod.

The Enchanted Pumpkin Recipe

Pumpkin Cupcake (Adapted from Libby's Pumpkin Roll Recipe)

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup pureed pumpkin

1. Light candles and press play on video above. Set the oven at 375º and line a one-dozen cupcake pan, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
2. Cream the eggs and sugar together in a bowl until combined and fluffy, roughly 3 minutes.
3. Add the pumpkin puree until combined.
4. Blend in the dry ingredients in 3 parts until combined.
5. Fill the cupcake pan and bake 13-15 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting.

Maple Cream Cheese Buttercream

1 c. butter
1/2 c. cream cheese
2 tsp. maple syrup
1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg
4-5 cups confectioner's sugar
1 cup pecans, toasted and smashed.

1. Combine the butter and cream cheese with a mixer on a medium speed, 3 minutes.
2. Mix in the maple syrup.
3. Gradually blend in the confectioner's sugar. If it becomes to dense, cut with 1-2 tsp. milk.
4. Frost cupcakes generously, and roll in pecans, and beware when eating...