Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Pumpkins, mmmm


As a child I hated pumpkin. The only way I knew it was as some kind of dessert, pumpkin pieces cooked with a sauce and the whole thing sweet-sour. My grandma told me to eat it and I looked for a place to hide it (I still don't like anything sweet-sour), but never found an inconspicuous one.

Then I discovered pumpkin pie when I was on a visit to the US. Then Germany discovered Halloween and with it the old pumpkin recipes. I am a pretty lousy and quite uninspired cook, but my pumpkin-potato soup is good, I have been told.
Another hit was the pumpkin coconut cake for which I got the recipe from a friend and this I'll share with you. Don't wonder about the odd numbers, I had to transfer a German recipe into US measurements. For a small baking dish you need (for a big dish double the ingredients):

0.550 pounds pumpkin, finely grated
0.550 pounds flour
3 eggs
2.5 teaspoons baking powder
0.440 pounds sugar (I use a little less)
0.220 coconut flakes (roasted in the pan)
0.4 cup oil
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
10 drops of almond essence

Put pumpkin, eggs, sugar, vanilla extract and oil together and mix well.
Mix coconut flakes with the flour and the baking powder, then mix that spoon by spoon with the pumpkin.
In the end add the almond essence.
Put in the oven for an hour at 350° F.
The cake is best if allowed to rest for two days. You can coat it with chocolate if you want to.

But this is not the only pumpkin recipe I brought with me. Here, have a look ;-)

That looks good enough to eat, but don't. It's beautiful glass in a silver bezel by Rio Rita.


Traditional fall colors can be found in this dyed magnesite bracelet called Squash Harvest by Jenni Leigh Creations.


Aren't these little pumpkin earrings cute? You can find this limited edition in the shop of Erika Price Designs.


So ... got a craving for pumpkin now?

By Cat's Wire

The SATeam blog features artisan handmade creations by the etsy starving artists jewelry team. SATeam members create handcrafted jewelry and beads. More information about our team and its current etsy shop owner members can be found at SATEAM.etsy.com.

9 comments:

Ava said...

Though I don't cook and never heard of a pumpkin cake, this is a recipe that I will share with my sis who loves to bake.

Love the colors of the bracelet, and the pendant definitely looks like a pumpkin pie and those earrings are sure cute.

mcstoneworks said...

Sounds delicious! I have a funny pumpkin story. We were carving a jack-o-lantern for Halloween when we were kids. My little brother got sick when my Dad cleaned out the inside of the pumpkin. Of course, we never let him forget it.

Your choices of pumpkin inspired jewelry are beautiful.

Happileerving said...

I do have a craving for pumpkin now. Your recipe sounds delicious. I don't think that I have ever eaten pumpkin and coconut together but the combination sounds interesting.

Anonymous said...

I remember pumpkin pies from when I was little. We have a huge family and when we'd get together there would be many, many pies. So we'd ask the aunts for a sliver of each of our favorites. one of mine was definitely pumpkin!

Erika Price said...

OK OK, I'm craving pumpkin now!!! Thanks for the recipe - pumpkin cake sounds delicious, so must try making it for Halloween! Love the beautiful bracelet and pendant, and thank you so much for including my pumpkin earrings!

Atelier MariT said...

I'll try your recipe, it does sound delicious eventhough I'm really not a big fan of pumpkin, love to carve it not to eat it!
Beautiful selections!

N Valentine Studio said...

You have some really creative blog posts! I am not a pumpkin fan but I may just try that it sounds yummy!

Unknown said...

Oh, those are all so pretty pumpkin jewelry and pumpkin inspired pieces. And that recipe sounds yummy. I don't think I've ever had a combo of pumpkin and coconut either, Bonnie. But I'm guessing it's yum 'cause I like both coconut and pumpkin. Thanks for sharing it with us!

Stacie @ azoho.com said...

I love the colors that this time of year inspires. All warm and snuggly...with a pumpkin spiced latte.