This cozy and sweet pumpkin cake is a riff on the super popular powdered donut cake from my book Snacking Cakes. All you need is a bowl, whisk and pan to put this perfect little fall cake together in less than an hour. It is packed with lots of fall (pumpkin!) spices, pumpkin puree and buttermilk just enough sweetness to be a treat. This cake keeps well for a few days on the counter so you can enjoy it one sliver at a time, you can also freeze the cake without the topping for a rainy day.

Pumpkin Spice Donut Cake

Makes 1, 8-inch square or 9-inch round cake

Cake

3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar

2 large eggs

3/4 cup (165g) pumpkin puree

1/2 cup (100g) well shaken buttermilk

1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, melted

1 teaspoon pumpkin spice blend

1/2 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 3/4 cups (225g) all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Topping

1 tablespoon unsalted butter melted

3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar or 2 tablespoons granulated sugar mixed with 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice

Make the cake: Position an oven rack to the center of your oven and preheat the oven to 350F. Butter or coat an 8-inch square baking pan with nonstick spray. Line the pan with a strip of parchment paper that hangs over two of the edges.

In a large bowl, whisk the granulated sugar and eggs until pale and foamy, about 1 minute. Add the pumpkin, buttermilk, butter, pumpkin spice, nutmeg, and salt. Whisk until smooth and emulsified.

Add the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Whisk until well-combined and smooth.

Pour the batter into the pan and bake the cake until puffed and golden, and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Set the pan on a rack to cool for about 15 minutes. Then use the parchment paper to lift the cake out of the pan and set it on to the rack to cool almost completely.

To Assemble: While the cake is just warm to the touch, brush the top with the melted butter and dust with the confectioners' sugar or spiced sugar you should have a nice thick layer of sugar - more than you think might be necessary. (Store the cake, covered, at room temperature for up to three days. The cake will absorb the sugar on top, so it might need a fresh dusting of confectioners' sugar after the second day.

This no churn blueberry and crème fraîche ice cream is a super simplified version of one of my favorite ice cream recipes from my book, Sweeter off the Vine, and you don’t need any special equipment to make it! I know when I want ice cream, I don’t want to wait a full 24 hours for the bowl of my ice cream maker to freeze. Not to mention the fact that there is usually so much other stuff in my tiny freezer that the bowl doesn’t even fit.

No churn ice cream recipes all have pretty much the same ingredients: heavy cream, sweetened condensed milk, and whatever flavorings you’re in the mood for. This version swaps a bit of tangy cultured crème fraîche, for the heavy cream which gives the base a bit of tangy richness. The gorgeous blueberry ripple adds bright berry flavor and beautiful color.

The base comes together in no time flat, all you need to do is whip the cream and creme fraiche, then fold it into the sweetened condensed milk. That mixture is layered and swirled with the blueberry sauce in a loaf pan. You do have to wait for the mixture to freeze overnight, so don’t forget to plan ahead. You could substitute just about any berry or stone fruit for the blueberries here in equal quantity.

No Churn Crème Fraîche and Blueberry Ice Cream

Makes about 4 cups

The subtle tang of crème fraîche and sweet blueberry sauce are a perfect pair in this easy to make creamy frozen treat. Substitute any berries or stone fruit you like for the blueberries.

Blueberry Swirl

1 cup/140g blueberries

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Base

1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

1 tablespoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste

Pinch salt

1 cup/240ml heavy cream, cold

1 cup/225g crème fraiche, cold

In a small saucepan, combine the blueberries and sugar with 1 tablespoon water and smash with a potato masher. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat and cook until the blueberries are broken down and the liquid has thickened until syrupy, about 3 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice. Blend the mixture with an immersion blender, then transfer to a heat proof container and refrigerate until completely cold.

When the blueberry mixture is cold, make the base.

To make the base: In a large bowl, whisk the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt.

In a separate large bowl combine the heavy cream and crème fraiche and use an electric mixer to whip the mixture to stiff peaks.

Stir a large spoonful of the cream into the condensed milk to lighten it, then add the remaining cream and fold it until just combined.

To assemble: Spoon 1/3 of the base into a loaf pan, then spoon 1/3 of the blueberry mixture over the top. Use a skewer to swirl the blueberry into the base. Repeat 2 more times with the remaining base and blueberries. Loosely cover the pan then freeze until firm, 6 hours or overnight.