Grandma Helens Pumpkin Cake Recipes

HELEN'S PRICELESS PUMPKIN PANCAKES

Steps:

• Whisk buttermilk, pumpkin puree, egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla extract together in a bowl until blended. Whisk in melted butter.
• Whisk cake flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl. Add flour mixture to buttermilk mixture and whisk to combine.
• Beat egg whites in a glass or metal bowl until soft peaks form. Lift your beater or whisk straight up: the egg whites will form soft mounds rather than a sharp peak. Fold egg whites into buttermilk-flour mixture to form pancake batter.
• Heat a lightly oiled griddle or skillet over medium heat. Drop batter by large spoonfuls onto the griddle and cook until bubbles form on top, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip and cook until browned on the other side, 1 to 2 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter.

GRANDMA CAROL'S PUMPKIN ROLL

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Butter a 12x17-inch jelly roll pan and line with parchment paper; butter the parchment paper. Generously dust a kitchen towel with confectioners' sugar.
• Beat eggs, white sugar, and pumpkin together in a bowl until creamy.
• Sift flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg together in a separate bowl; gradually stir into egg mixture. Stir to combine. Spread batter evenly into the prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven for exactly 10 minutes.
• Immediately turn cake onto the prepared kitchen towel. Starting at a long end, roll up pumpkin cake and towel. Let rolled cake rest for 10 minutes.
• Beat cream cheese, butter, 16-ounce package confectioners' sugar, and vanilla extract together in a bowl until smooth; fold in pecans.
• Unroll cake; spread with the filling. Roll up cake (without towel). Cut off any jagged ends. Cover and refrigerate until chilled. Cut cake in half if desired; sprinkle with confectioners' sugar before serving.

GRANDMA HELEN'S PUMPKIN CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 325 degrees if using a Pyrex Glass pan
• Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan or two 8- or 9-inch round cake pans.
• In medium bowl with electric mixer, beat eggs until frothy.
• Add sugar, pumpkin, oil, spice and vanilla.
• Beat on low speed until combined, then increase to medium speed.
• Beat 1 minute.
• Add flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; beat on low speed for 2 minutes.
• Add nuts and stir to combine.
• Pour into baking pan.
• Bake on center rack for about 40 minutes (30 to 35 minutes for layers) until cake is golden brown and top springs back when lightly pressed.
• Let cool in pan on rack for at least 1 hour before frosting.
• (For a layer cake, let cool 15 minutes, remove cake from pans and let cool completely before frosting.) For frosting: Beat butter and cream cheese with electric mixer until fluffy.
• Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla and beat on low speed until fluffy.
• Add more powdered sugar if necessary to make a stiffer frosting.
• Store cake in the refrigerator.

GRANDMA HELEN'S STRUFFOLI

Steps:

• Mix all dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
• Add all liquid ingredients (Except honey) to dry to form a dough.
• Knead dough well to incorporate all ingredients.
• For balls roll dough out in 1/4 inch round strips like pencils.
• Cut the pieces at small intervals with an angle cut.
• How far apart you make the cut is your judgment call, as the smaller the spacing the smaller the balls and vice versa.
• Mom likes the look leaving them as is with the angle cut giving a unique shape to the balls as they fry.
• If you prefer perfectly rounded balls, you can roll the pieces in the palms of your hands like miniature meatballs before frying.
• For ribbons cut some of the dough in flat strips about 1/2 inch wide preferably using a crimped edge cutting wheel as it gives a fancy serrated edge to them.
• Form loops or bow shapes with the ribbons and deep fry balls and ribbons separately until golden brown (ribbons as they are flat will cook quicker than the balls).
• Drain on absorbent paper.
• Heat honey in a deep pot until it starts to thin out and become pourable.
• Remove from heat.
• Dip bows and ribbons in warm honey and set aside.
• Add balls to the honey and toss to coat.
• Transfer balls to holiday platter and top with the ribbons and bows.
• Or you can mound the balls to look like a Christmas tree and decorate with bows on the sides.
• Sprinkle with multi colored sprinkles.

PUMPKIN CAKE (GRANDMA'S VERSION)

Steps:

• Mix first eight ingredients together.
• Add last three ingredients.
• Put mixture in a flutted tube pan.
• Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.