Mini Pumpkin Espresso Bundt Cake

One thing I really struggled with after getting married is downsizing my meals and more importantly, downsizing my baked goods. Going from a family of 7+ to a family of 2 was a big change. Especially when you factor in the fact that my husband is not a big eater and doesn't have as big a sweet tooth as I had hoped. That, combined with the fact that he doesn't eat leftovers at all, really threw me for a loop.
Hence, ALL the weight gain. There I was, in the first few years of my marriage, going for seconds and eating leftovers so I wouldn't feel so guilty about throwing out food.
And let's not discuss desserts. At the very least, single me could give desserts out to the neighbors, all my mom's friends, my dad's coworkers, etc. But married me was stuck with 3 dozen chocolate chip cookies in the house just calling my name.
So, as much as I didn't want to do all the complicated math and halve my recipes, I knew it had to happen. I even started measuring out my pasta by the ounce; because Lord knows I did not need to add extra carbs to my day.
Where I'm going with all of this is that I stumbled upon this mini bundt pan while I was at ALDI and it was just calling out my name. It was exactly what I needed for my small batch baking and it actually gave me the inspiration on what to make next for you all!
Since Starbucks has already officially declared it pumpkin season, I figured I would start you guys off with a fun sized bundt cake that packs the perfect punch of espresso and warm pumpkin flavor. The espresso chocolate glaze is to die for. I think next time, I'll even throw in some espresso chocolate chips to up the coffee flavor!

Mini Pumpkin Espresso Bundt Cake

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ginger
1/8 teaspoon cloves
2/3 cup pure pumpkin
2 eggs
6 tablespoons grapeseed oil (or oil of your choice)
1/2 cup light brown sugar
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the espresso batter:
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 tablespoon instant espresso powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cocoa powder

For the glaze:
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray bundt pan with cooking spray and spread thoroughly.

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Set aside.

In another bowl, whisk together pumpkin, eggs, oil, sugars, and vanilla extract to combine. Slowly fold in dry ingredients, whisking slowly just until no specks of flour remain.

Remove 1/2 cup of batter and add in the espresso batter ingredients (sugar, espresso, cinnamon, cocoa powder). Whisk well to incorporate.

Pour 1/3 cup of the original batter into the prepared bundt pan. Drizzle some of the espresso batter on top. Do this two more times, until you have used up all the batter.

Place bundt pan on a baking sheet and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.

Immediately upon removing from oven, run a flat spatula around the edges and center of the bundt pan to release the cake. Allow to cool in pan for 15 minutes, then invert onto a serving plate.

To prepare the glaze, heat heavy cream in a saucepan over medium heat until simmering. Pour over chocolate chips, then stir together until chips are melted and glaze is smooth. Stir in vanilla extract and espresso powder.

Pour glaze over cooled bundt cake or serve on individual slices of cake. Store in an airtight container.

Adapted from King Arthur Flour