Autumn-Shaped Banana Mini-Cakes with Pumpkin Butter

Taking time for a little special something is important.

I have a couple of bananas I need to do something with; 
got too busy and now they are not quite like Mr. Grinch (You’re a bad banana with a greasy black peel) but they are definitely ready for action. So here's how to make them a delicious addition to...Mini-Cakes for the autumn season.

Fancy autumn baking tin.

Banana Cupcakes for the Autumn

Nothing goes to waste when it tastes good!

1/2 c          butter
1 c             sugar
1 c             mashed bananas
1 egg, beaten                                             

1 1/2 c       flour                                          

1 tsp          baking soda                             
1/4 tsp       salt
1 tsp          vanilla

1/8 tsp       ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp       ground cloves
1/8 c          crushed walnuts

Mix the ingredients, fill muffin tins 1/2 full. Don't  
forget to fill the stems. Bake at 350 degrees 11 minutes,
thereabouts.

 You may need to trim the little cakes, and then you have little muffin tops, like the Seinfeld episode.

The shapes are adorable.

 They look autumnal without decoration, nice color and smelling spicy and banana-ish simultaneously. But I doubt I will be able to resist decorating them. They deserve a special filling for the season. And I have some natural autumn items that will be fun decorations.

The filling between the little autumn shaped cakes will be uncooked pumpkin butter. Very tasty.

Filling for the little shape cakes

Auntie Melanie's Pumpkin Butter 

1 c             canned pumpkin
1 stick       butter, softened
1/3 c          sugar
1 tbs          Pumpkin Pie Seasoning   

Using an electric mixer, thoroughly blend ingredients. Store in airtight container in the refrigerator until used.

Pumpkin butter is also tasty for warm zuchini bread, various muffins.

The ingredients: cinnamon, ginger, lemon peel, nutmeg,cloves, cardamom, star anise, fennel, and black pepper. Black pepper!

This list of ingredients in the Pumpkin Pie Seasoning reads like a wish list for Columbus going to the Spice Islands!

Glaze 'base coat' for the little cakes.

Decorating the Mini-Cakes

Icing or Glaze 
1/2 c   powdered sugar
2 tbs milk
food coloring, drops to your  satisfaction
 
There are only six cake tops to be decorated, two of each shape. I will prepare a thin glaze, mixing powdered sugar with milk, mixing food coloring to create the colors red, orange, and brown. 

First, red food coloring for the maple leaves (to honor my Canadian friends.) Then I'll add yellow food coloring to the glaze, making orange for the pumpkin, and finally, adding green food coloring to create brown for the acorns.

2. Red plus yellow equals orange!

1. Red!

Begin by adding red to the glaze; 
yellow plus red makes orange!
Adding green will make brown.

3. Mix red, yellow and green: brown.

For accents, I used pumpkin seed, crushed walnuts, sliced almonds, sunflower seeds, and gel frosting in a tiny applicator for lines. So, here are the Autumn-Shaped Banana Mini-Cakes with Pumpkin Butter. A cup of tea or cocoa, that's a nice moment.

Gardening Tip
Loving life includes enjoying your home and seasonal cycles.

In my part of the world, it is autumn and the harsh cold air has not yet arrived. We have migrating butterflies traveling through our large back yard, which is xeroscaped for our desert landscape. We have natural  'rabbit brush' (at least that's what the locals call it) and at this time it is filled with millions of tiny golden flowers; obviously the painted lady butterflies adore it as they make their way south to Mexico from the San Bernardino Mountains. Taking a minute to enjoy.