Brown-Butter Pumpkin Cake Bars

~This article (below) was written exclusively for the Asheville Citizen Times back in September. If you're in the mood for a treat, don't wait to make these bars. You can use roasted pumpkin or any other variety of sweet hard squash. Thanks to my friend Cynthia for sharing the genius idea! ~

The ultimate symbol of autumn, winter squash welcomes the season, appearing in an assortment of shapes, colors and sizes.

Different from the soft-skinned summer squash varieties, winter squash are left on the vine and in the field late into the growing season until exterior skins thicken and interior seeds mature. Varieties such as pumpkins and acorn squash are a traditional Appalachian food, celebrated for nutrition and cold-weather storage.

The beauty of winter squash is celebrated in seasonal centerpieces, or as decorative welcome pieces when gathered on a front stoop. Pumpkins, in particular, are the symbol of fall when hollowed and carved into jack-o-lanterns.

Many local farms, such as Hickory Nut Gap Farm in Fairview, include hay rides, cider pressing and pumpkin patch picking, where visitors can enjoy fall fun and take home a hand-picked pumpkin just in time for Halloween.

Winter squash dishes like butternut squash soup and roasted delicata also reign in the season, especially since their versatile flavors reach well beyond savory preparations. The often sweet, nutty flesh of winter squash is perfect for a special seasonal dessert, pumpkin pie marking just the beginning.

Cynthia Wong, head pastry chef of downtown’s Rhubarb, relies on seasonal produce for her signature creations. “I love making a brown-butter pumpkin cake in half-sheet pans, which I then layer with butter pecan ice cream to make little cakey ice cream bars,” she says.

When it comes to savory favorites, Wong makes butternut squash gnocchi with sage and brown butter, which she says pairs perfectly with pork chops. Not hungry yet? Another of her household favorites: acorn squash layered with braised kale, baked with a bit of béchamel and crumbs on top.

The best way to find heirloom varieties? Visit area tailgate markets to find the most interesting selection including Buttercup, Hubbard, Kabocha, Pie Pumpkins, Candy Roaster, Butternut, Sweet Dumpling, Carnival, Delicata and many more.

Not only is this season’s selection worth sampling simply for flavor, winter squash offers a healthy dose of dietary fiber, complex carbohydrates, vitamins A, C and omega 3s. Simply oven-roasting almost any variety is a successful and easy way to try.

When selecting a hard squash to take home, Wong suggests picking smaller ones, without any soft spots or cracks and with nice, hard stems. From there, the possibilities are endless.

BROWN BUTTER PUMPKIN CAKE BARS

Adapted from Fine Cooking’s Jeanne Kelley

1 small pie pumpkin cut in half, seeds removed

1 small Kabocha squash, cut in half seeds removed

3/4 cup unsalted butter

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1 1/2 cups sugar

2/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

2 eggs

1/3 cup buttermilk

2 quarts all natural butter pecan ice cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place squash halves cut side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Bake until tender when pieced with a fork, about 35 minutes. Allow to cool before scooping flesh away from skins. Place flesh in a food processor and blend until smooth. Set aside. You will need 1 1/2 cups of the puree.

Butter and flour two half sheet pans. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat swirling butter often until it begins to lightly brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, salt and ground cloves in a medium mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together the pumpkin puree, sugars, eggs and buttermilk thoroughly. Using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, slowly add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture until just combined. Gently whisk in the cooled brown butter until fully incorporated.

Divide batter evenly among prepared sheet pans and bake on center rack until batter puffs slightly in the center and is lightly golden, about 10-15 minutes. Pierce center of cakes with a toothpick, if it comes out clean remove from oven. Do not over bake. Cool completely.

Loosen cakes from exterior pan edges with a fork. Turn cakes gently out onto a jelly roll pan or large baking sheet lined with wax paper. Refrigerate until cold.

Meanwhile, scoop ice cream out into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle. Beat ice cream on low speed until it softens slightly and becomes spreadable.

Working quickly, spread ice cream evenly over one cake layer and smooth with a rubber spatula. Place the other cake layer over the top, gently press and place in freezer overnight.

Transfer frozen cake to a large cutting board. Cut lengthwise into long 1 inch sections. Then cut each section into 3 inch bars. Return to the freezer until ready to serve. Bars can be stored frozen in an airtight container for up to a week.