Have a wicked-good Halloween

by Chef Scotty Irani
Food Columnist

All Hallows Eve and pumpkins abound, Jack-o-lanterns and Jill-o-lanterns light the night while you, dressed as a lumberjack, your boyfriend as a slutty nurse, hop from party to party enjoying the one holiday most celebrated in the LGBT+ community after having starved yourselves all week…inhale.

My little candy corns, when it is time to break that “costume fast”, put some of those goulash pumpkin memories to good use. Okay, not really using the pumpkins you've carved up but something pretty close; canned pumpkin.

My delicious pumpkin bunt cake sandwiched with sweet mascarpone-ricotta filling and mini chocolate chips are a good way to get your “dad bod” back. That may not be a good thing, but what a way to go!

Wishing you a very happy and wicked Halloween, my chirrens. May it be frightful, deliciously bad and full of tasty memories.

For the Cake

1 cup grapeseed oil

2 1/2 cups sugar

3 large eggs, room temp

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 1/2 teaspoons In The Kitchen With Scotty “More Than Pumpkin Pie” spice blend (or basic pumpkin pie spice)

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 15-ounce can pure pumpkin (or prepare your own solid packed pumpkin)

Powdered sugar for dusting

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray the inside of your favorite bundt cake pan with baking spray or butter and flour the inside.

2. In a mixing bowl combine the sugar with the oil and mix together until smooth. One at a time, add the eggs.

3. In a separate bowl mix the flour, baking soda, More Than Pumpkin Pie spice and salt. Set aside.

4. Add the solid pack pumpkin to your egg/sugar/oil mixture and mix in. Add the vanilla. In small batches add the dry mixture. Let the dry completely mix in before adding the next batch. Add it all until you have a nice sturdy pumpkin cake batter and spoon evenly into your Bundt pan. Smooth out the top.

5. Bake the cake for approximately one hour or until the cake tester comes out clean. Remove after baking and let cool completely. I let mine rest overnight in the fridge. This will help when cutting in half and adding the filling.

6. Cut the cake in half, horizontally and sandwich in the mascarpone/chocolate chip filling. Add enough to get a 1/4”-1/2” layer. Smooth evenly then lay on the top half of your cake. Let chill and set up in the fridge and dust with powdered sugar. Slice and dig in when you’re ready. Enjoy.

For the Mascarpone-Ricotta & Chocolate Chip Filling

2 cups (16 ounces) mascarpone cheese

1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 cups powdered sugar

1 cup mini chocolate chips

Cream together the mascarpone and ricotta cheese. Add the vanilla and mix until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar and mix in completely after each add. Fold in the chocolate chips. Sandwich in between your chilled bundt cake.

Copyright The Gayly – October 25, 2017 @ 7:10 a.m. CDT.