8 Mini pumpkins; (1/2 pound)
1 1/2 lb Cream cheese at room
-temperature
6 tb Unsalted butter at room
-temperature
1 c Lightly packed light brown
-sugar
1/4 c Plus 2 tablespoons
-granulated sugar
2 tb Plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 tb Cinnamon
2 ts Ground ginger
3/4 ts Ground cloves
4 lg Eggs
1 c Sour cream
1 ts Vanilla extract
1 c Pumpkin puree; (canned is
-just
; fine)
(Optional mint leaves and
-birthday
; candles for garnish)
-CRANBERRY TOPPING-
3/4 c Orange juice
1/2 c Sugar
1 ts Vanilla extract
1/2 lb Fresh or frozen cranberries
Side Bar: Before you start, set your cream cheese and butter out for
several hours, so it can warm up to room temperature.
Set rack in middle of oven and preheat to 300 degrees.
Cut the tops off the pumpkins and set aside, With a teaspoon or grapefruit
knife, scrape the fibrous pulp and seeds out of the pumpkins. Scrape some
of the meat off the inner walls so they are no more than 3/8-inch thick.
Put the cream cheese, butter, sugars, cornstarch, cinnamon, ginger and
cloves in a large mixing bowl and beat at medium speed until blended. Take
care not to mix too much air into the batter. Add the eggs, 1 at a time,
until each is incorporated. Reduce the speed and beat in the sour cream,
vanilla and pumpkin puree.
Fill the pumpkin shells with the batter and bake, on a cookie sheet for 15
minutes. Turn the pan and place the tops next to the pumpkins. Bake for 10
more minutes, until barely set and firm. If, at any time, the cakes start
to puff up, turn the oven down or remove them. Let cool, in the pan, then
refrigerate.
CRANBERRY TOPPING:
Place all ingredients in a medium saucepan and simmer for 10 minutes until
the berries have popped and form a thick sauce. Let cool.
To serve, spoon cranberry sauce on top of filling. Place the pumpkin lid on
a jaunty angle. Stick the birthday candle and mint sprig into the top.
Yields
1 servings