Pumpkin Spice Everything

Pumpkin Spice has been a common ingredient to use when baking and it tastes even better if you have the homemade version. Originally, it was called Pumpkin Pie Spice, the American spice blend that has been used as an ingredient in pumpkin pie since the 1890s. Similar to the Commonwealth and British mixed spice which is generally made up of a mixture of ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and allspice. Pumpkin Spice could also be used as a seasoning cooking.

To make a DIY pumpkin spice, you need to combine the following:

• 4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 cup ground cinnamon
• 2 tbs ground ginger
• 2 tsp ground allspice
• 2 tsp ground cloves

Pumpkin Spice is everywhere

Pumpkin Spice is a popular mix, it is now available ready-mixed by different companies which include McCormick and Company, Trader Joe’s, Boston Spice, and Frontier Natural Products Co-op.A Fall menu item containing the Pumpkin Spice mix is the Pumpkin Spice Latte. The coffee based drink is a blend of the traditional spice, espresso, steamed milk and topped with additional pumpkin spice with whipped cream. Since 2015, some people have been adding a little pumpkin puree to this drink. Customers can order the Pumpkin Spice Latte during the Fall Season at local coffee shops and even Starbucks, usually being introduced on the 1st day of September.
You will find different recipes online that feature Pumpkin spice as one of the ingredients. One of these recipes is the Praline-Pumpkin Cake.

An online recipe a friend showed me that is just delicious:

Praline-Pumpkin Cake

Ingredients:
½ cup - margarine or butter
¼ cup - whipping cream
1 cup - brown sugar
¾ cup - coarsely sliced pecans
1 Box - Betty Crocker Super Moist Yellow cake mix
1 cup - canned pumpkin
½ cup - water
1/3 cup - vegetable oil
4 - eggs
1 ½ teaspoons - pumpkin pie spice
1 container - Betty Crocker Rich and Creamy cream cheese frosting
(optional) *Add caramel topping and coarsely sliced pecans*[caption id="attachment_3085" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Photo Credit: Betty Crocker[/caption]

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. In a one-quart heavy saucepan, stir together butter, brown sugar and whipping cream. Cook on low heat and occasionally stir, until the butter melts. Pour into two ungreased 9 or 8 inches circle cake pans and sprinkle with ¾ cups pecans.2. In a large mixing bowl, beat pumpkin, cake mix, water, eggs, oil, and a teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice using an electric mixer on the low-speed setting until it moistened and on medium speed for two minutes, while you occasionally scrape the bowl. Carefully spoon batter over the pecan blend in every pan.3. Bake for 41 - 47 minutes. Let it cool for five minutes and remove the cake from the pan and onto a cooling rack. Let the cakes cool for about one hour.4. Stir the remaining one-half teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice into the frosting. Assemble the cake and apply the caramel topping & pecans. Store the cake in the refrigerator with a cover to cool and later serve.