Mini Pumpkin Almond Flour Cakes (Pumpkin Spice Financiers)
Brown butter almond cakes with pumpkin puree and spice, finished with a thick pumpkin spice glaze.
Pumpkin financiers are small almond flour cakes made with brown butter and pumpkin puree, then dunked in a pumpkin spice glaze. Crisp edges, soft centers, about the size of a muffin.
Make them when you want a fall dessert that isn’t another pie, something small to put out with coffee, or a way to use up leftover pumpkin puree and egg whites. They’re a French bakery classic, but nothing about them is fussy. One bowl, no mixer, no piping.
The whole thing takes about an hour. Most of that is cooling time, and it isn’t negotiable, since warm cakes melt the glaze.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- No mixer, no piping bag. You stir everything in one bowl with a whisk. The only technique is browning the butter, and even that’s just melting it and paying attention.
- Somewhere for your egg whites to go. Five whites and no yolks, so this pairs neatly with anything that ate the yolks, like pastry cream or custard.
- They keep well. Bake them a day ahead and glaze before serving, or store them glazed and they’ll still be good three days later.
Ingredients Notes and Substitutes
Pumpkin Mini Cakes
- Egg whites. The base for the mini almond cakes.
- Unsalted butter. We’ll brown the butter to infuse the cakes with its characteristic flavor and aroma.
- Sugar. Brown sugar is best, but regular will work okay in a pinch.
- Honey. Honey helps to keep the cakes super moist. To substitute, you could increase the amount of sugar. While the cakes might not be as moist, the ample amount of other liquids (egg whites, butter, pumpkin puree) in the recipe will help keep them moist.
- Pumpkin puree. Both homemade and canned pumpkin work well. If you’re using homemade, let it sit in a fine mesh strainer for 10-15 minutes before using to get rid of any excess water.
- Pumpkin pie spice. The pumpkin pie spice makes or breaks this recipe. Use your favorite brand or a homemade blend. I recommend (and use) this recipe from Sally’s Baking Addiction for a homemade version.
- Almond flour. Go with store-bought, or you can make it at home if you have some blanched almonds on hand.
- Cake flour. I use cake flour for the financiers based on the Hanbit Cho’s recommendation, but I’ve seen people have success with all-purpose flour as well. The recipe doesn’t use that much flour anyway, so substituting with AP flour shouldn’t be a big deal.
- Vanilla extract. Optional, but a bit helps improve the flavor.
- Baking powder. Include baking powder if you prefer your financiers fluffy and cupcake-like, or omit it for a denser texture. I always add baking powder.
- Salt. Keeps the sweetness from flattening out.
Pumpkin Spice Glaze
- Powdered sugar. The body of the glaze and all of its sweetness. Sift it unless you enjoy chasing lumps.
- Unsalted butter. Richness and shine, and it’s what carries the spice.
- Milk. Loosens the glaze to a dippable consistency. Whole milk gives the richest result.
- Pumpkin pie spice. Same jar as the cakes, so the flavor runs all the way through.
- Salt. Stops the glaze from tasting one-note sweet.
Step-by-Step: How to Make Pumpkin Financiers
Pumpkin Financiers
👉 New to browning butter? My brown butter guide walks you through it step by step.
- Preheat the oven. Set it to 390°F (200°C).
- Brown the butter. Melt the butter over medium heat and keep cooking, stirring occasionally, until it turns golden brown and smells nutty. You’ll hear sizzling, then bubbling, then a crackle, and that crackle is your cue to watch it closely. Take it off the heat, sit the pan in cold water, and cool until it’s no longer hot.
- Mix the egg whites and sugar. Whisk them together until just combined. You’re not whipping the whites here, so a little foam on the surface is all you need.
- Add the honey, vanilla, and pumpkin. Stir in the honey, vanilla extract, and pumpkin puree until the batter looks even in color.
- Add the dry ingredients. Sift the almond flour, cake flour, pumpkin spice, baking powder, and salt together, then stir them into the wet mixture until no dry patches remain.
- Add the butter. Pour in the cooled brown butter, dark bits and all, and stir to combine. Check it isn’t still hot, or it’ll cook the whites.
- Prepare the pan. Grease the molds with butter, working it into every corner with your fingers. If your pan isn’t non-stick, dust it with flour or sugar and tap out the excess.
- Fill the molds. Spoon the batter in, filling each about three-quarters full. You should get around 10.
- Bake. Lower the oven to 360°F (180°C), slide the pan in, and bake 15 to 18 minutes, until the edges brown, the centers are set, and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool. Let them sit in the pan 10 to 15 minutes, running a silicone spatula around each one to loosen it, then turn them out onto a wire rack. Give them at least another 30 minutes before glazing.
Pumpkin Spice Glaze
👉 Head over to my pumpkin spice glaze post for more on how to make it.
- Bloom the spice. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat, then stir in the pumpkin pie spice. Keep it on the heat 30 to 60 seconds, until it smells strongly of spice. Pull it off immediately if it gets close to bubbling.
- Add the milk and salt. Whisk them straight into the warm butter. The mixture may look split at this point, which is fine. It comes together once the sugar goes in.
- Whisk in the sugar. Add the sifted powdered sugar and whisk until smooth and glossy. It’ll be thin and warm at this stage.
- Taste and adjust. If it tastes flat, add another small pinch of salt. Then leave it alone to thicken while the financiers finish cooling.
To Finish
- Check both are ready. The financiers should be at room temperature, and the glaze thick enough that a spoonful falls back into the bowl in a slow ribbon rather than running off.
- Dunk them. Hold each financier upside down, lower the top into the glaze, lift it straight out, and give it a small twist to break the drip.
- Serve. Let the glaze set for a few minutes on the rack, then serve.
Tips for Success
- Match the bake time to your pan. A financier mold or mini muffin tin needs about 10 to 12 minutes. A standard muffin tin takes the full 15 to 18. Go by the edges browning and the top setting rather than the clock, and if you want a second opinion, a toothpick in the center should come out clean.
- Use a water bath to steer the glaze. Sit the bowl in cold water and whisk for a minute or so to thicken it up, or in warm water to loosen one that’s gone stiff. Stirring in more powdered sugar thickens it too, though it gets sweeter fast.
- Swap the finish if you’re short on time. A plain powdered sugar glaze, a maple glaze, or just a dusting of powdered sugar all work on these. You lose the second hit of spice, but you save a step.
Storage
Keep the financiers in a sealed container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Glazed is fine, so you don’t need to hold the glaze back or add it later. Seal the container properly so they don’t dry out or pick up other smells.
They taste best closer to room temperature. Pull them out 20 to 30 minutes before serving.
Servings: 10 pumpkin financiers
Calories: 249kcal
Ingredients
Pumpkin Financiers
- 5 egg whites about 140 g, room temperature
- 100 g butter 7 tbsp, plus a bit more for greasing the pan
- 1/2 cup brown sugar 100 g
- 1 1/3 tbsp honey 28 g
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract optional
- 1/4 cup pumpkin puree 60 g
- 2/3 cup almond flour 70 g
- 10 tbsp cake flour 75 g, all-purpose flour works too
- 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/8 tsp salt
Pumpkin Spice Glaze
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar 85 g, sifted
- 21 g unsalted butter 1 1/2 tbsp, melted
- 2 tsp milk 10 g
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1 pinch salt plus more to taste
Instructions
Pumpkin Financiers
- Preheat the oven. Set it to 390°F (200°C).
- Brown the butter. Melt the butter over medium heat and keep cooking, stirring occasionally, until it turns golden brown and smells nutty. You’ll hear sizzling, then bubbling, then a crackle, and that crackle is your cue to watch it closely. Take it off the heat, sit the pan in cold water, and cool until it’s no longer hot.100 g butter
- Mix the egg whites and sugar. Whisk them together until just combined. You’re not whipping the whites here, so a little foam on the surface is all you need.5 egg whites, 1/2 cup brown sugar
- Add the honey, vanilla, and pumpkin. Stir in the honey, vanilla extract, and pumpkin puree until the batter looks even in color.1 1/3 tbsp honey, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
- Add the dry ingredients. Sift the almond flour, cake flour, pumpkin spice, baking powder, and salt together, then stir them into the wet mixture until no dry patches remain.2/3 cup almond flour, 10 tbsp cake flour, 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/8 tsp salt
- Add the butter. Pour in the cooled brown butter, dark bits and all, and stir to combine. Check it isn’t still hot, or it’ll cook the whites.
- Prepare the pan. Grease the molds with butter, working it into every corner with your fingers. If your pan isn’t non-stick, dust it with flour or sugar and tap out the excess.
- Fill the molds. Spoon the batter in, filling each about three-quarters full. You should get around 10.
- Bake. Lower the oven to 360°F (180°C), slide the pan in, and bake 15 to 18 minutes, until the edges brown, the centers are set, and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool. Let them sit in the pan 10 to 15 minutes, running a silicone spatula around each one to loosen it, then turn them out onto a wire rack. Give them at least another 30 minutes before glazing.
Pumpkin Spice Glaze
- Bloom the spice. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat, then stir in the pumpkin pie spice. Keep it on the heat 30 to 60 seconds, until it smells strongly of spice. Pull it off immediately if it gets close to bubbling.21 g unsalted butter, 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- Add the milk and salt. Whisk them straight into the warm butter. The mixture may look split at this point, which is fine. It comes together once the sugar goes in.2 tsp milk, 1 pinch salt
- Whisk in the sugar. Add the sifted powdered sugar and whisk until smooth and glossy. It’ll be thin and warm at this stage.3/4 cup powdered sugar
- Taste and adjust. If it tastes flat, add another small pinch of salt. Then leave it alone to thicken while the financiers finish cooling.
To Finish
- Check both are ready. The financiers should be at room temperature, and the glaze thick enough that a spoonful falls back into the bowl in a slow ribbon rather than running off.
- Dunk them. Hold each financier upside down, lower the top into the glaze, lift it straight out, and give it a small twist to break the drip.
- Serve. Let the glaze set for a few minutes on the rack, then serve.
Notes
Nutrition covers the full batch including the glaze, divided by 10 financiers. Butter is counted at its pre-browning weight, so the real figure runs slightly higher once some water cooks off. Yield depends on your pan: a standard muffin tin gives about 10, a financier mold or mini muffin tin gives more and bakes faster.
Nutrition
Calories: 249kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 3.9g | Fat: 13.8g | Fiber: 1.3g
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Recipes You Might Like
- More financier flavors. Same brown butter almond base, a bunch of other directions. The financier recipes roundup has all my financier flavors in one place.
- Pumpkin bakes and desserts. If you want a bigger project, pumpkin Ă©clairs take the same flavor into choux with a maple glaze on top. Pumpkin pastry cream is the topping to make instead of the glaze if you’d rather pipe than dunk. And pumpkin baked oatmeal cups come out of the same muffin tin, just on the breakfast side of the line.
- Pumpkin flavored breakfasts. Good places for the rest of the can. Cottage cheese pancakes and protein powder pancakes both land high on protein and take under 20 minutes. Pumpkin oatmeal is the quick stovetop one, and pumpkin overnight oats the one you make the night before.
