Pumpkin spice cake truffles
Let me just say that my mom makes a stellar Thanksgiving dinner. It's traditional all the way, but there is always a bounty of food + desserts. Everyone eats way too much, but it's kind of the point of the day, no?
So after two years without my mom's homemade Thanksgiving dinner, I am thrilled that she will be preparing the feast for the day. Of course I will be helping her out + these pumpkin spice cake truffles will certainly be there.
A cake truffle is a bit like a cake pop, but without most of the fuss. You still roll these suckers into balls, but there is no coating to melt and none of that stick business. First you make the pumpkin spice cake, then a batch of cream cheese frosting + then you combine the two. They are sticky enough that when you run them through crushed english toffee, the toffee sticks easily adding a crunch factor.
This will truly be a Thanksgiving dessert that you will be exited to share (and pop into your mouth) with your guests on Turkey day.
Pumpkin Spice Cake Truffles [makes ~40 truffles]
Pumpkin Spice Cake
1 stick of butter, softened
2/3 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon maple syrup
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup pumpkin puree
2 cups all-purpose flour
Cream Cheese Frosting
1/2 stick butter, softened
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup confectioner's sugar
Garnish
3/4 cup English Toffee, crushed
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line the bottom of a 9-inch round cake pan with parchment and butter the pan.
With an electric mixer whip up the butter until creamy. Add the white sugar and maple syrup, and continue to whip the mixture until well combined.
With the mixer on low, add each egg one and a time mixing until fully combined.
In a medium-sized bowl mix together the baking power, baking soda, ground ginger, ground cinnamon and salt. Add this mixture to the sugary butter mixture. Mix to combine.
Add the pumpkin puree to the bowl and continue to mix.
With the mixer on low, add the flour bit by bit until the mixture is combined.
Pour the cake batter into the pan, using a spatula to evenly spread the mix over the entire pan.
Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes until the cake is set when a toothpick is inserted and removed.
Meanwhile prepare the easy cream cheese frosting. With an electric mixer, combine the butter and cream cheese until creamy smooth. Add the vanilla and continue to combine. Like with the flour, add the confectioner's sugar bit by bit until the frosting comes together. Set aside.
Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool. Once cooled, crumble the cake into fine crumbs. Add the cream cheese into the crumbled cake and combine with your hands.
To form the truffles, use a small ice cream scoop to portion the truffles. Roll each scoop into a ball with your hands and toss in the English Toffee to coat. Repeat with each truffle.
Serve right away, or better yet, place the truffles in the fridge and remove 10 minutes before serving.