Tieghan Gerard, cookbook author and founder of Half Baked Harvest, has a plethora of seasonal recipes, but her latest bake takes the cake.
Gerard's pumpkin smash cake was an exclusive concoction for her collaboration with fine fragrance and candle brand Snif.
The Half Baked Pumpkin Smash Candle gives off all the aromas of pumpkin spice "but much, much better with cinnamon, cardamom, whiskey, brûléed orange, salted maple, and roasted chocolate," Gerard told "Good Morning America."
"Their scents smell so good and fill the room with cozy vibes," she added.
Gerard offered an exclusive recipe below for another way to add the sweet, spicy and fresh-baked aroma to the air at home. (You can also shop the candle here.)
Pumpkin Smash Cake
1 cup melted coconut oil
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1 can (15 ounce) pumpkin puree
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1-2 tablespoons fresh orange zest
Maple Browned Butter Frosting
3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) salted butter, at room temperature
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup real maple syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease three 6-inch round cake pans or two 8-inch round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter/spray with cooking spray.
2. In a bowl beat together the coconut oil, brown sugar, vanilla, eggs, and pumpkin until combined. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, and orange zest, mixing until smooth and no lumps remain in the batter.
4. Pour the batter among the cake pans and bake 35-40 minutes, until the tops are just set and cakes are no longer wiggly in the center. Remove and let cool 10-15 minutes, then run a knife around the edges of the pan and turn the cakes out onto a cooling rack. Cover and let the cakes cool completely before assembling.
5. To make the buttercream frosting: Add 2 sticks butter to a skillet, set over medium heat. Allow the butter to brown lightly until it smells toasted, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer the butter to the mixing bowl, let cool until it's room temp.
6. Add the remaining stick of butter and the cream cheese to the bowl. Then add the powdered sugar and maple syrup. Beat together until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and beat until combined. If the frosting feels too loose, add powdered sugar to thicken.
7. To assemble: Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread 1/3 of the buttercream over the cake. Repeat with the remaining 2 cake layers. Be careful not to overfill your layers or the cake will be hard to slice. Frost the outside of the cake. Chill 30 minutes. Serve, or store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Recipe reprinted with permission from Tieghan Gerard and Half Baked Harvest.
