Tanna – Usually, the top is even crunchier but mom was in a rush and covered the pan with foil just out of the oven. If possible, this made it taste better than ever.
Jill – I actually haven’t found the perfect pumpkin bread yet either, but I did have my mother (again with the mom!) try this one, which she said was very good but needed a lot more spice. I suppose it’s a matter of personal taste, but if you like it spicier, just go ahead and double all of them. Pumpkin seems to absorb all these flavors well. And of course, you can replace the walnuts with flour-dusted chocolate chips (floured so they don’t sink).
Jill – Looks like Marce answered first but 1 stick is a quarter pound, 8 tablespoons and ½ cup melted, too.
Jessie – Let us know how it goes!
Marce – I have actually made this with yogurt before and it came out just fine. Rachael’s advice below is even better. Oh, and you are so *allowed* (please!) to answer questions in the comments. I really wanted to get to these questions sooner but day job, daily posting and baking two cheesecakes tonight has been a whirlwind.
Tammi – Hope you like it!
Rachael – Thank you thank you. Excellent advice. I even wonder if buttermilk could work – it having that tangy dairy thing – but wouldn’t know how much to replace it with without trying it myself.
Hilary – You should, and share it. I’d love to compare.
Jennifer – Heh. I’ve been trying to reign in my titles, too. (This from a girl who once titled a post “conversations in the past month that have led me to say to my fiancé: i don’t know why my parents have to spend so much money on this party when we are clearly, already married.” and another “instances in the past week that have caused my husband to refer to me as a curmudgeon”.)
Jennifer – Nope, such behavior is encouraged at the Smitten Kitchen.
Married Girl – I brought this cake into school so many times growing up, so I can attest, it’s perfect for the cause.
Yvo, Rebekah – Thank you.
MW – So, I didn’t know how to mention this but my mother (sorry mom!) kind of threw the cake together in a rush and didn’t follow the half batter, half chips, half cinnamon-sugar, etc. technique which is why all the chips are at the bottom. While this was still very very delicious in every possible way, if you make it the way I describe it above, the chips don’t sink. Le voila!
Denise – Oh no! I will fix that, though it doesn’t help you much now. I added the tomato paste but forgot to say where. I believe I just mixed it in right before I stuffed the peppers. I loved the couscous dish, it just needed a little something-something to bind the flavors together. I hope it still came out okay!
Rachael – Was it still good? I bet this cake is pretty flexible and the coffee sounds wonderful, too.