Cinnamon Buns with a Pumpkin Spice Frosting (v)
Life’s simple pleasures can come in small sizes! These sweet, sticky delectable buns are such a comforting treat, whether for breakfast with a cup of coffee on a chilly morning, or for an afternoon tea pick me up.
The cream cheese topping with warming pumpkin spices takes these moreish buns to another level entirely.
These buns are so easy to whip up and to store in the fridge for up to 3 days or make a batch for your freezer for another time. When you need a sweet treat, just get them out of the freezer and bake, making the frosting just before you’re ready to serve. So simple and satisfying, a truly sticky scrumptious delight. They are always a big hit with family and friends.
Happy halloween! N x
Serves 12 | Baking time 12-15 minutes | Prep time 3-4 hours, or overnight (allowing for proving)
Ingredients
Pumpkin Spice Mix
You can use already ground spices if you don’t have time to grind them freshly in a pestle & mortar. It’s always worth making more of this mix and storing in an airtight container for later use.
2 tsp ground ginger
3 tbsp ground cinammon
1 tsp ground cloves or 2/3 whole cloves crushed finely
1 tsp ground cardamom or 4/5 cardamom pods, pods removed and seeds crushed finely
1 tsp ground all spice
2 tsps ground nutmeg or freshly grated whole nutmeg
Cinnamon Bun Dough Mix
2 medium free range eggs, beaten
200ml fresh milk
250g plain or wholemeal flour
250g strong bread flour
100g unsalted butter
5 tbsp soft brown sugar
2 tsps pumpkin spice mix
1 1/2 tsp of dried yeast
1 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp oil (extra for greasing)
Pumpkin Butter Filling
100g unsalted butter
125g soft brown sugar or caster sugar
1 tsp pumpkin spice mix
1 tsp vanilla extract
I medium free range egg, beaten (for glaze, optional)
Pumpkin Frosting
2 balls crystallised stem ginger, finely chopped with 1 tbsp of the ginger syrup
1/4 tsp pumpkin spice mix
125g cold soft cream cheese
200g sifted icing sugar
50g soft unsalted butter
Equipment
Deep rectangular baking tray or cake tin approx 28cm x 23cm 4.5cm deep, or large enough to hold your twelve buns.
Method
Start by making the pumpkin spice mix. Grind your spices if necessary in a pestle & mortar to a fine ground powder. Put all the spices into a sealed airtight jar, and shake to mix.
Next make your dough. Heat the butter and the milk gently in a pan on a low heat, don’t let it boil. Combine the two flours, yeast, salt, sugar and pumpkin spice mix in a large mixing bowl. Mix all the ingredients together and create a well in the centre. Pour in the beaten eggs and slowly add the cooled milk and butter liquid. Mix to form a soft dough. Use your hands for this, making sure all the dried ingredients are combined thoroughly.
Tip the dough out on to an oiled surface and knead for a good five minutes. Don’t be tempted to add flour at this sticky stage. It’ll just make your dough to dry. Keep moving the dough using a dough scraper, collect all the sticky bits off the work surface and keep the dough together.
Keep turning your dough over and kneading it. Eventually you’ll notice the dough becoming more pliable and easier to handle. The dough will strengthen and become smoother. You’ll notice no sticky bits left behind.
Shape in to a ball, pop in to an lightly oiled bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave in a warm place for 1-2 hours to rise, or until it’s doubled in size.
Meanwhile, make the pumpkin butter filling. In a bowl, add the (room temperature) butter, sugar, spice mix and vanilla extract. The consistency should be like a soft spreadable peanut butter texture. Cover and put to one side until your dough is ready.
Once your dough has doubled in size. Tip out on to a lightly floured work surface. Roll out into a rectangular shape approx 36x24, have the longer length facing towards you. Using a palette knife spread the pumpkin butter filling, making sure it covers the whole piece of dough edge to edge.
Starting at the longest side, roll the dough away from you creating a long cylinder shape. Find the centre and cut 6 equals pieces either side, making 12 slices in total.
In a lightly greased baking tray position your cut dough rolls flat, with the swirl facing upwards next to each other, it’s fine if they are touching and are a cosy fit. Cover with a tea towel and leave in a warm place for up to an hour for the dough to rise once again.
Whilst the dough is rising, mix your frosting either by hand or in a mixer. Beat together the sifted icing sugar with the butter. Add the pumpkin spice mix, cold cream cheese, stem ginger spices and syrup. Pop in to a bowl until ready to use. Don’t refrigerate as it’ll be to difficult to spread.
Your dough should have doubled in size after an hour. Glaze with the beaten egg and a sprinkle of caster sugar.
NB: If storing in the fridge or freezer for later use, omit the egg glaze and sugar topping at this stage.
Bake in the oven at 200C/180C fan or Gas Mark 6 for 12/15 minutes until risen and golden brown on top.
Remove the buns from the oven, once slightly cooled, remove from the tin, spread over your frosting liberally, and pull apart and share served warm with your favourite beverage.
Enjoy!