Erin Clarke Cookbook Author @wellplated

We had a lovely chat with Erin Clarke, from @Wellplated on Instagram and author of “Well Plated” and her new book, “Well Plated Every Day.” Scroll down for Erin’s pumpkin gingerbread squares with spiced cream cheese frosting recipe.

Cookbook Signing Event Details

Join Erin at ModernWell in Minneapolis on 10/30, 7:00pm-8:30pm, for her book signing event!  The Well Plated Cookbook, Erin Clarke, and Lee Funke of Fit Foodie Finds!

Erin discusses her journey, from the influential blog Well Plated by Erin, to the creation of her popular cookbooks. You will sample one of Erin’s delicious recipes – and leave with a signed copy of Well Plated Everyday (Books provided by Valley Bookseller)

Thanks for reading Stephanie’s Dish Newsletter! This post is public so feel free to share it

Erin shared her Pumpkin gingerbread squares recipe from her new book, “Well Plated Everyday,” to give you a taste of the deliciousness in its pages.

Pumpkin gingerbread squares with spiced cream cheese frosting

Ingredients for the Cake

1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

3/4 cup pure pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)

1/2 cup canola oil, or melted and cooled coconut oil

1/4 cup unsulfured molasses (not blackstrap)

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

11/4 teaspoons ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1 small orange

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup white whole wheat flour or regular whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Instructions For the Cake

Place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat to 350°F. Coat an 8 by 8-inch baking pan with nonstick spray. Line the pan with parchment paper so that two strips overhang opposite sides like handles.

In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and eggs until pale and foamy, about 1 minute. Add the pumpkin puree, oil, molasses, cinnamon, ginger, cocoa powder, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Zest half of the orange directly into the bowl (about 1 teaspoon). Reserve the remaining orange to zest for the frosting. Whisk until smoothly combined.

Sprinkle the all-purpose flour, white whole wheat flour, baking powder, and baking soda over the top. Whisk until combined and smooth, stirring only as long as needed to incorporate all the ingredients.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Gently tap the pan on the counter to remove any air bubbles. Bake the cake for 20 to 24 minutes, until it is puffed, the edges are starting to pull away from the pan, and a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Use the parchment overhang to lift the cake onto a wire rack and let it cool completely.

While the cake cools, make the frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted recipe and ingredients continue

Ingredients For the Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting

6 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, or Neufchâtel cheese, at room temperature

2 tablespoons uns