Carrot-Ginger Cupcakes with Spiced Cream Cheese

1 pkg. (16 oz.) pound cake mix
3/4 cup shredded carrots
1 Tbsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground cinnamon, divided
1/2 cup PLANTERS Walnut Pieces, toasted
1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
2 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Prepare cake batter as directed on package;
stir in carrots, ginger, 3/4 tsp. of the cinnamon and walnuts.
SPOON batter into 24 paper-lined medium muffin cups. Bake 15 min. or
until toothpick comes out clean.
BEAT cream cheese in medium bowl with wire whisk until smooth. Gently
stir in whipped topping. Spread over tops of cupcakes. Sprinkle with
reserved 1/4 tsp. cinnamon. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Carrot-Ginger Cupcakes with Spiced Cream Cheese

Prep Time: 20 min
Total Time: 35 min
Makes: 24 servings, one cupcake each

1 pkg. (16 oz.) pound cake mix
3/4 cup shredded carrots
1 Tbsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground cinnamon, divided
1/2 cup PLANTERS Walnut Pieces, toasted
1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
2 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping
PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Prepare cake batter as directed on package; stir in
carrots, ginger, 3/4 tsp. of the cinnamon and walnuts.
SPOON batter into 24 paper-lined medium muffin cups. Bake 15 min. or until
toothpick comes out clean.
BEAT cream cheese in medium bowl with wire whisk until smooth. Gently stir
in whipped topping. Spread over tops of cupcakes. Sprinkle with reserved 1/4
tsp. cinnamon. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

KRAFT KITCHENS TIPS
Substitute
Substitute PLANTERS Pecans for the walnuts.

Tea Pot Cake
2 pkgs. pound cake mix
1 1/2 cups water
4 large eggs
2 cans (16 oz) vanilla frosting (or make your own)
two 1 1/2 quart oven proof bowls
tooth picks
6 inch wooden skewers
1 tube (7 oz) marzipan (found in bakery section of grocery store)
food coloring
confectioners sugar
Floral cake decorations (or make them yourself from the marzipan, food coloring and tiny cookie cutters)
Piping bag and tip

Preheat the oven to 350* F. Spray with Pam and dust lightly with flour. In a medium bowl, using and electric mixer set on medium, beat cake mix, water and eggs until smooth. Pour batter into prepared bowls; smooth tops. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean; about 55 minutes. Transfer to wire cooling racks; cool for 10 minutes. Turn cakes out onto racks. Cool completely. Trim tops off of flat sides of cakes to make level. Reserve one top for the lid.

Assembling:
Spread frosting over the flat top of one cake. Top it with the other cake (makes a little ball) frost with yellow or pink frosting. Place little circular piece of reserved cake on top as the lid, securing with wooden skewers). Frost.

Color the marzipan to match the frosting and shape a tiny handle for the lid, a longer hand for the pot and the spout. Attach these using tooth picks. Place the toothpick into the marzipan from the inside, then holding the marzipan, push the other end of the toothpick into the cake. Decorate the sides of the tea pot with floral cake decorations, or leaves and flowers made from the extra marzipan. Pipe a little decorative bead of colored frosting around the bottom of the lid handle, the lid, and the bottom of the tea pot.

Serves 16.

Tip: The easiest way to slice the cake (once everyone has admired it thoroughly) is to remove the top half of the cake and slice into eight pieces each half.

Cream Cheese Pound Cake

1 (18 oz.) box pound cake mix
1/2 c. butter, melted
4 eggs, divided
1 (1 lb.) box powdered sugar,
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. pecans, chopped
2 tbsp. powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Use greased 9 x 13 inch cake pan.
Mix the pound cake mix, butter and 2 eggs together and pour into
prepared pan. Mix powdered sugar (less 2 tablespoons), cream
cheese, 2 eggs and vanilla together and pour over first mixture.
Bake for 20 minutes. Mix pecans and 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
together and sprinkle over cake. Return to oven and bake for 35
minutes.

Easy Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

1 pkg. (16 oz.) pound cake mix
1/2 cup each sour cream and water
2 eggs
4 tsp. McCormick® Pure Lemon Extract
2 T. McCormick® Poppy Seed

BEAT all ingredients, except Poppy Seed, in large bowl
with electric mixer on low speed just to moisten.
Beat on medium speed 3 minutes.

STIR in Poppy Seed. Pour into greased and floured
10-cup Bundt pan.

BAKE in preheated 350°F oven 40 to 45 minutes or
until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool in pan 10 minutes. Invert cake onto wire rack.
Cool completely. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar,
if desired. Makes 12 servings.

Flavorful Tip
1 teaspoon Extract = 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon peel