Pumpkin Tea Cake
It’s fall. My favorite time of year. A few weeks ago my sister was talking to me about the Scandinavian idea of “hygge” - which is said to “evoke much more than simple coziness—a sense of intimacy, togetherness and inner warmth, a world lit by candles and snuggled under blankets”. I think this word really embodies the way I prefer to live my life, with the exception that this is supposed to be a mindset for the winter, and I am obsessed with coziness all year round. Those who know me are aware that I stock up on pumpkin pie spice in the fall and use it all year, have an incredibly basic obsession with pumpkins, throw blankets, coffee, fireplaces, and autumnal vegetables. Mark and I truly share a love for the holiday season, it is both of our favorite time of year. My father always made the holidays so special. He would throw crazy Halloween parties when we were little kids and decorate the whole house, even exchanging the floor lightbulbs for green ones. We have tons of holiday traditions like always getting the Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving (or when we can these days), watching a Charlie Brown Christmas, and building a beautiful snow village with us. Long story short, we have now entered my favorite time of year, and my favorite flavor profile; warm and cozy (and of course pumpkin).
Meet this pumpkin tea cake.
I made this for a friend and her family on a very challenging day. Her family also loves the holidays. They had been getting a lot of sweets/cookies so I wanted to bake something that was warm and reminiscent of the “hygee” while also something that was more of a breakfast or snack and less of a desert.
This is a lovely pumpkin “tea cake” from Tartine. It is not super sweet, includes a generous amount of cinnamon and spices, incredibly moist, but has that tempting sugar top that makes it feel like a treat (and doesn’t that amazing cracked top just draw you in!) I loved this recipe for a simple pumpkin bread that will make your house smell incredible and hopefully bring you a little “hygee”.
https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2009/10/pumpkin-tea-cake-recipe.html