pumpkin and sage brown butter poundcake
it's not thanksgiving without some GD pumpkin
honestly, i think about this cake more often than anyone should think about a food. this has been in my baking repertoire for the past 10 years, it's got staying power, this is not a trend. it's pumpkin, sage, and brown butter. fall AF. historically, i made them as cupcakes but those aren't really a thing in france, i never seem to find tins with the correct depth and size that i want, so i said fuck it make it in a loaf pan this year.
pro-tip: loaf format is more "helpful" in hiding how much you've actually eaten. cupcakes you can count. poundcake you eyeball, but if a small slice goes missing everyday, say around 4PM, (then again after dinner and again for breakfast) it's more subtle.
in fact, the 4PM snack is a legitimate moment in france called a goûter (which means to taste) and may just be my favorite thing about living here. sure, it's apparently meant for kids but basically everyyyyyone enjoys the goûter. this poundcake is perfect to start your very own goûter tradition or simply satisfy your pumpkin cravings. it's super easy and there's brown butter glaze.
literally nothing better.
pumpkin sage and brown butter poundcake
3/4 c unsalted butter (i use salted always, make your own decision)
1 2/3 c all-purpose flour
1/4 c fresh sage leaves, cut into chiffonade
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1 c canned pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
1 c packed light-brown sugar (we dont have brown sugar so I use cassonade or granulated sugar with a teeny bit of molasses)
1/2 c granulated sugar
2 large eggs
brown butter icing
1/2 c unsalted butter
2 c sifted powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp milk, plus more if needed
1. heat oven to 325 F. rub loaf pan with butter; dust with flour, tapping out extra. In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. add the sage, continue to cook, swirling occasionally, until butter turns golden brown and smells nutty and marshmallowy, usually ~8 minutes. remove from heat.
2. whisk together flour, baking powder, salt cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. in another bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, both sugars, eggs, and brown-butter mixture. add flour mixture and whisk until just combined.
3. spread and level batter in the buttered loaf pan. bake, rotating pan halfway through, until a toothpick in the center comes out clean, about 45-55 minutes. transfer pan to a rack to cool completely before removing.
4. melt even more butter in that small saucepan over medium heat, swirling the pan occasionally, until nut-brown in color, ~8 minutes. remove from heat, and pour butter into bowl.
5. add powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk to brown butter, stir until smooth. if necessary, add more milk (up to 2 tablespoons) but just a little at a time, only until icing is spreadable.
6. to finish, glaze the top of loaf, you'll have enough glaze that some will probably drip and fall along the sides. let the glaze set for 20 minutes and you'll have the most lovely, slightly crunchy icing of all time.