Pumpkin & Apple Butter Spice Cake

Ingredients

2/3 C vegetable oil
1/3 C unsalted butter, room temperature
1-1/2 C brown sugar, packed
1/2 C granulated sugar
4 large eggs
3-1/2 C all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 C 100% pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
1/2 C apple butter
1/2 C raisins
1/2 C chopped pecans (I used candied pecans from a pkg.)

Preheat oven to 350*.  Grease bundt pan with vegetable shortening or PAM for baking. Set aside.
Cream butter and sugars with paddle attachment of electric mixer.  Add oil and eggs, and mix until incorporated. In a large bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.  Turn mixer to low and slowly incorporate dry ingredients Add pumpkin and apple butter and mix slightly, but not completely.  Add raisins and pecans and incorporate by hand.  Do not over mix or cake texture will be denser.  Add batter to prepared bundt pan and smooth the top with a spatula.  Bake 50 - 60 minutes or until tester near center of cake comes out clean.

Cool for 10 minutes in pan, then remove and cool the rest of the way on a wire rack.  Dust with powdered sugar or prepare Brown Butter Maple (recipe below) glaze and pour over cake.  Serve cooled cake as it or try it with whipped cream cheese and/or apple butter.

Brown Butter & Maple Glaze

1 stick of salted butter
1to 1-1/2 C confectioners' sugar (start with 1 C and add an additional 1/2 C if needed)
2 T milk
1-2 T pure maple syrup

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.  Keep heating until butter begins to turn brown and smells nutty.  This takes 4-5 minutes.  Watch closely as once it starts to turn brown it goes very quickly!  Remove from heat and add confectioners' sugar, milk and syrup.  Stir until smooth.  If glaze is too thick to pour, add more milk a teaspoon at a time, until it reaches the proper consistency. Pour over cake.

Enjoy!

Flaming Pumpkin Log

Ingredients

3 eggs, separated

1 cup sugar, divided

2/3 cup canned pumpkin

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon salt

FILLING:

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1 cup confectioners' sugar

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Additional confectioners' sugar, optional

FLAMES:

Orange and Yellow Hard Candies, about 26

Milk chocolate morsels, about ½ cup, melted

Line a 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan with waxed paper; grease the paper and set aside. In a large bowl, beat egg yolks on high speed until thick and lemon-colored. Gradually add 1/2 cup sugar and pumpkin, beating on high until sugar is almost dissolved.

In a small bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining sugar, beating until stiff peaks form. Fold into egg yolk mixture. Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; gently fold into pumpkin mixture. Spread into prepared pan.

Bake at 375° for 12-15 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched.  Cool for 5 minutes. Turn cake onto a kitchen towel dusted with confectioners’ sugar. Gently peel off waxed paper. Roll up cake in the towel jelly-roll style, starting with a short side. Cool completely on a wire rack.

In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter, confectioners' sugar and vanilla until smooth. Unroll cake; spread filling evenly to within 1/2 in. of edges. Roll up again. Cover and freeze until firm.

 May be frozen for up to 3 months. Remove from the freezer 15 minutes before cutting. Dust with confectioners’ sugar if desired.

With oven still at 375°, place hard candies on another parchment lined baking sheet.  Bake 8-10 minutes or until candy is completely melted.  With a skewer, swirl the colors together to look like fire.  Refrigerate until cooled. Break into flame-like pieces.

Melt the milk chocolate in microwave for 30 seconds; stir until completely melted.  If chocolate is not melting completely, place back in microwave for 10-second intervals. Be careful not to burn.

Spread melted chocolate on one small section at a time, beginning with the middle.  Place candy pieces into soft chocolate and move onto the next section until you have the flames across the log (see photo).

Recipe adapted from Taste of Home

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Dump Cake

Ingredients

1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
3/4 c confectioners' sugar
2 tsp milk
1 28 oz. can pure pumpkin puree
1 12 oz. can evaporated milk
1 1/4 c granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1 box yellow cake mix
1 stick of butter, melted
Cinnamon sugar (optional)
Whipped cream (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9 x 13 pan.

Using a mixer, combine cream cheese, powdered sugar and milk until smooth (about 3 minutes). Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine pumpkin puree, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar, salt, and spices. Pour into prepared pan.

Put cream cheese filling into a small ZipLock bag, and snip off the tip the make a mini piping bag. Then pipe over the pumpkin filling.

Pour the dry cake mix over the cream cheese layer then poke holes using the end of a wooden spoon or a table knife through the cake mix until you hit the filling (not to the bottom of the pan).

Pour melted butter over the dry cake mix.

Sprinkle cinnamon sugar over the entire cake for extra flavor and crunch.

Bake for 40-50 minutes or until the top is browned and an inserted knife comes out clean.

Let cool and place in refrigerator for 2-3 hours to chill. Serve with whipped cream! 

Recipe adapted by Your Cup of Cake

Pumpkin Apple Cake with Maple Pecan Bacon Topping

Ingredients

2 eggs

3/4 cup regular white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

2/3 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup pumpkin puree

2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon cinnamon

4 cups apples, cored, peeled and diced

Maple Glaze

Pecan Bacon Crumble

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Make Pecan Bacon Crumble. Set aside. Keep oven temp at 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, using electric mixer, beat eggs, white sugar and brown sugar until light in color and creamy, about 4-5 minutes.

Add oil and vanilla extract and beat for 1-2 minutes more to blend in the ingredients. Add pumpkin puree and continue beating for 1 more minute to combine.

In a separate medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.

Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix just until combined. Do not over mix. Fold in the apples.

Spray the bundt pan with baking spray. Carefully pour the batter into the bundt pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 50 or 60 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted in the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool on a wire rack for about 40 minutes. Invert the bundt pan onto the serving platter and let the cake to cool further.

Drizzle cool cake with Maple Glaze and Top with Pecan Bacon Crumble.

Maple Glaze: Whisk together 1 c confectioners' sugar, 1/4 c pure maple syrup, 1 T very soft butter, 1/2 tsp. vanilla, If too thick add more syrup; too thin, add more confectioner's sugar.

Pecan Bacon Crumble: Line a baking sheet with a silicon mat or parchment. In a medium bowl beat 1 egg white. Add pinch of salt, 1/4 c pure maple syrup, 4 strips of crisp cooked bacon, chopped fine and 1/2 c toasted pecans, chopped. Spread out on prepared baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and stir.  Mixture should be moist and sticky with no liquid. If liquid still remains, return to oven for another 5-10 minutes or until no liquid remains.  Stir and set aside to cool.

Recipe adapted from Julia's Album.

Drunken Pumpkin & Bacon Cupcakes with Toasted Marshmallow Frosting

Can't you just taste them already just looking at the photo?

Ingredients (makes 14 cupcakes)

2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
1 cup pumpkin puree
6 oz pumpkin ale
4 tbsp butter (1/2 stick)
2 eggs
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
6 strips candied bacon (recipe below)

Preheat oven to 350*.  Add cupcake liners to a 12-cup cupcake tin.  Set aside. Dice 3 strips of candied bacon and set aside.
In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice and salt, set aside
In a non stick frying pan, melt butter over low heat until slightly browned
In a glass mixing bowl, combine browned butter with granulated and brown sugars, whisk together until combined, wait 1 minute and then whisk again
Add eggs, pumpkin and beer to the butter sugar mixture. Fold together with a rubber spatula. Add diced bacon. Carefully fold wet mixture into dry, being careful not to over mix.
Using a large scoop, scoop batter into prepared cupcake tins.
Bake for 16-20 minutes, until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Cool

The Marshmallow Frosting:

8 large egg whites, at room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/8 teaspoon fine salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Candied Bacon:
6 strips thick sliced bacon
1/2 c dark brown sugar
3 T pure maple syrup

Preheat oven to 400*. Combine brown sugar and maple syrup in small bowl.  Place strips of bacon on a rack on a foil-covered rimmed baking sheet. Spread with brown sugar mixture.  Bake for approximately 40-50 minutes until crisp-baked.  Let cool and prepared as directed in directions.

Place the cooled cupcakes on a baking sheet and set them aside.

Fill a medium saucepan with 1 inch of water and bring it to a simmer over medium heat.

Place the egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar, and salt in the clean bowl and whisk by hand to combine. Nest the bowl over the saucepan, making sure the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water. Heat the egg white mixture, whisking constantly, until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is hot to the touch (about 120°F on an instant-read thermometer), about 6 minutes.

Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, whisk for 1 minute on medium speed. Increase the speed to high and whisk until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 5 minutes more. Add the vanilla and whisk until just incorporated, about 1 minute.

Transfer the frosting to a large piping bag fitted with your preferred piping tip and pipe onto the cupcakes. Broil until the tops are starting to brown, about 20 to 30 seconds—watch carefully to avoid burning. (Alternatively, you can use a kitchen torch).
Cut remaining 3 strips of candied bacon into 14 equal-sized pieces. Place one piece on top of each cupcake.

Best Ever Cranberry Pumpkin Bread

The original recipe calls for cranberries.  I made mine with 1/3 cup each of cranberries, chopped figs & golden raisins.

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 cups granulated sugar

1 can (15 ounces) 

4 large eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup orange juice or water

1 cup sweetened dried, fresh or frozen cranberries, OR

1/3 cup each cranberries, chopped figs & golden raisins

PREHEAT oven to 350° F. Grease and flour two 9 x 5-inch loaf pans.

COMBINE flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Combine sugar, pumpkin, eggs, oil and juice in large mixer bowl; beat until just blended. Add pumpkin mixture to flour mixture; stir just until moistened. Fold in cranberries. Spoon batter into prepared loaf pans.

BAKE for 60 to 65 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Recipe makes two loaves.

(Recipe adapted from VeryBestBaking.com )

Pumpkin & Butterscotch Spiced Latte Fudge w Glazed Pecans

Pumpkin Fudge?  Uh, I'm not sure about that, but I'll give it a try.  One of my followers might find it enticing.  Well, I'm eating my words (no pun intended).  I took a recipe and tweaked it to make it my own.  I threw in some butterscotch morsels and a handful of glazed pecans, and I gotta tell ya ... LOVE IT!  A little bit goes a long way here, so plan on sharing it with your friends, neighbors or co-workers.

Ingredients

1 1/3 c granulated sugar
2/3 c evaporated milk
3 T unsalted butter
1/2 c pumpkin puree
1 T espresso powder
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp salt
1 c white chocolate morsels, chopped
1 c butterscotch morsels, chopped
1 3/4 c marshmallow creme
1 tsp pure vanilla or vanilla bean paste
1/3 c glazed pecans, chopped small

Line an 8-inch square baking dish with parchment and spray with non-stick cooking spray. 

In a medium saucepan, stir together the sugar, evaporated milk, pumpkin, butter, espresso powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil, then boil for 12 minutes, stirring often.

Remove from the heat and stir in the white chocolate  & butterscotch chips and marshmallow creme until melted, then stir in the vanilla and pecans. Pour into the prepared pan and place in the refrigerator until set, about 30 minutes. Cut into squares and store at room temperature or in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

This recipe adapted from The Brown Eyed Baker.

Pumpkin Rice Pudding with Pecan Praline Topping

This is comfort food for sure.  I do not like anything where the pumpkin flavor is overpowering, and this dessert has just the right amount.  The sweetness, and the flavors from the vanilla bean and orange zest are not masked by the taste of pumpkin, yet it comes through, albeit subtly, as well as the spices; all in a delicate, but very flavorful dessert. 

Ingredients

2 cups short-grain or Arborio rice

4 cups half-and-half
1 cup whole milk 

1 cup evaporated milk
1 cup sugar
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1 tsp grated orange zest
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 cup canned pumpkin 

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp each of nutmeg, cloves & ginger

1/2 cup golden raisins

Sweetened Whipped Cream (optional)

Cinnamon (optional)

Praline Topping:

3 T evaporated milk

1 T butter

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

1/4 tsp kosher salt

2/3 cup chopped pecans (I like to toast mine first)

In a large saucepan, combine the rice, milk, sugar, vanilla bean, orange zest, orange juice, and salt. Heat to boiling over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender and most (but not all) of the liquid is absorbed, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from heat. Discard the vanilla bean. Stir in the pumpkin, spices & raisins.  In the meantime, prepare the topping.  Add evaporated milk, butter, brown sugar & salt to saucepan.  Heat over medium heat 1-2 minutes or until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved.  Remove from heat and toss in pecans.  Stir until pecans are coated.

Serve pudding warm, and spoon praline pecans on top.  Add a dollop of whipped cream sprinkled with cinnamon, if desired.

Spiced Apple Pumpkin Butter

Ingredients

2 c of fresh pumpkin puree or (1) 15oz. can
1/2 small apple, peeled, cored and chopped into small pieces
1/3 c pure maple syrup
2 T brown sugar
1/2 c apple cider
1 T fresh lemon juice
2 T boiled cider (optional)
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1/8 tsp. salt

Combine all ingredients into a large, heavy bottom sauce pan.  Bring to simmer on medium-low heat; then reduce to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30-45 minutes or until liquid is reduced and mixture turns dark.  If a smoother consistency is preferred, use an emulsion blender or a regular blender and process until desired consistency.  Divide among 2 jars and secure the lids.  Bring to room temperature before refrigerating.