Sugar Pumpkin Spice Cake
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup water, boiling
1 tablespoon hazelnut liquor or brandy
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
1/4 teaspoon fresh ginger root, peeled and freshly grated
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
2 eggs
1/2 cup honey
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup toasted walnuts or almonds, roughly crushed

1. Preheat oven to 325F.

2. Place raisins in a bowl and pour the boiling water and liquor or
brandy over them. Set aside and allow them to plump 15 to 20 minutes.
Drain and reserve any excess liquid.

2. Spray a 9-inch cake pan (either round or square) with nonstick
spray. In a medium-sized bowl, mix together flour, salt, baking soda,
cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, cardamom and pepper. In the bowl of
an electric mixer, beat together the eggs and honey until light and
fluffy. With the mixer running, slowly beat in the oil. Beat in the
dry ingredients, constantly scraping down the sides of the bowl. Add
the pumpkin puree and beat until smooth. Stir in the nuts and raisins.

3. Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake until golden brown and a
skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, about 35 to 40 minutes.
Allow cake to cool slightly, then unmold the cake, place on a cake
rack and allow to cool completely.

Serves 12.

PUMPKIN WALNUT CAKE WITH CANDIED ORANGES

FOR CAKE:
1 cup softened butter, plus additional for greasing pan
2-1/2 cups flour, plus additional for dusting pan
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 pinch ground allspice
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 cup pumpkin pulp
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1/2 cup coarsely chopped candied orange slices (recipe follows)

FOR GARNISH:
1/4 cup walnut halves
1 teaspoon butter
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup candied orange syrup (recipe follows)

CANDIED ORANGE SLICES WITH SYRUP:
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
10 whole allspice berries
3 cups sugar
2 seedless oranges (such as valencias), thinly sliced

For cake, preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour a 7 1/4" (7-cup) angel food cake pan. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, pepper, cinnamon, ginger, and allspice into a large bowl and set aside.

In another large bowl, beat remaining 1 cup butter until fluffy. Gradually add sugar, then beat in eggs, one at a time, and fold in pumpkin. Slowly add dry ingredients to butter mixture, mixing just until smooth. Stir in walnuts and candied orange.

Spoon batter into pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then unmold and cool on rack.

For garnish, toast walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat until brown, about 3 minutes. Stir in butter, remove from heat, and toss walnuts with sugar. Transfer cake to a platter, drizzle with candied orange syrup, and garnish top with walnuts and candied orange slices.

CANDIED ORANGE SLICES WITH SYRUP: Wrap peppercorns and allspice berries in a small square of cheesecloth, tie into a bundle, then put in a medium saucepan with sugar and 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil over medium heat and add oranges. Place the lid of a smaller saucepan on orange slices to keep them submerged. Simmer until the rinds become very soft and the syrup begins to form, about 1-1/2 hours. Remove slices from syrup and allow to cool on wax paper. Discard spices and reserve syrup. Makes about 12 orange slices and 1-1/2 cups syrup.

Serves 8

Pumpkin Roll With Toffee Cream Filling
Ingredients

3/4 cup cake flour
1-1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1-1/4 tsp. ground ginger
3/4 tsp. ground allspice
6 egg yolks
6 egg whites
1/3 cup each white sugar, packed light brown sugar
2/3 cup solid pack pumpkin puree
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar for dusting
2 tbsp. dark rum
1 tsp. unflavored gelatin
1 cup heavy whipping cream
3 tbsp. confectioners' sugar
10 tbsp. crushed toffee candy
1 jar (16 oz.) caramel ice cream sauce, warmed
1/2 cup crushed toffee candy
Directions
Preheat oven to 375º F (190º C). Spray a 15x10" baking sheet
with vegetable oil spray. Cake: Sift flour, cinnamon, ginger and
allspice into small bowl. Set aside. In a large bowl, beat egg
yolks, 1/3 cup white sugar and 1/3 cup brown sugar until very thick,
about 3 minutes, with mixer. On low speed, beat in pumpkin, then
flour mixture. Using clean, dry beaters, in a large bowl, beat egg
whites and salt until stiff but not dry. Fold egg whites into batter
in 3 additions.
Spread into prepared pan. Bake at 375º F (190º C) for 15 minutes, or
until a toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean. Place smooth
(not terry cloth) kitchen towel on work surface; dust generously with
confectoiners' sugar. Cut around pan edges to loosen cake. Turn cake
out onto kitchen towel. Fold towel over 1 long side of cake.
Starting at 1 long side, roll cake up in towel. Arrange cake seam
side down and cool completely, about 1 hour. Filling: Pour 2 tbsp.
rum into small heavy saucepan and sprinkle gelatin over. Let stand
until gelatin softens, about 10 minutes. Stir over low heat just
until gelatin dissolves, then remove from heat. In a large bowl, beat
chilled whipping cream and 3 tbsp. confectioners' sugar until stiff
peaks form. Beat in gelatin mixture. Fold in 6 tbsp. English toffee
pieces. Assembly: Unroll cake, sprinkle with 4 tbsp. English toffee
pieces. Spread filling over. Starting at 1 long side and using
kitchen towel as aid, roll up cake to enclose filling. Place cake,
seam side down, on platter (can be prepared 1 day ahead). Cover with
foil and refrigerate. Trim ends of cake on slight diagonal. Dust
cake with extra confectioners' sugar. Spoon some warm caramel sauce
over top of cake. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup toffee. To serve: Cut cake
crosswise into 1" thick slices. Serve with remaining sauce.
Makes 12 servings.

Amish Apple Cake



1/2 cup chopped pecans

2 1/2 cups finely chopped apples, such as Granny Smith

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour



Hot Caramel Sauce

1/2 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup evaporated milk



Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Oil a 9-inch round cake pan.



In a large bowl, cream the butter. Add the sugar and beat until fluffy. Add the egg and beat until well blended. Mix in the baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add the flour and stir just until blended.

Stir in the apples and nuts. Pour into prepared cake pan and bake for 30 minutes until the top springs back when touched lightly with your finger.



Hot Caramel Sauce: In a saucepan, melt the butter, brown sugar and salt. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla extract and milk.



Serve warm sauce over cake.



Serves 8.

Pumpkin Pie Cake



1 yellow cake mix (hold out 1 c.)

1 egg

1 stick margarine, melted



Filling:

1 (20 oz.) pumpkin

2/3 c. brown sugar

2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp. cinnamon

2 eggs

2/3 c. milk



Mix cake mix, egg and margarine. Press into 13x9 inch pan. Mix filling, pour over crust. Sprinkle with the 1 cup cake mix and bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes. When cool, can top with Cool Whip.

 

Applesauce Cake



1 Cup butter (room temperature)

2 Cups sugar

2 Eggs (room temperature)

2 1/4 Cups warm applesauce

2 Teaspoons baking soda

3 Cups cake flour

2 Tablespoons cocoa

1 Tablespoon cinnamon

1 Teaspoon cloves

1/4 Teaspoon mace

1/4 Teaspoon allspice

Dash salt

1 Cup raisin or dates

1 Cup pecans



Cream butter and sugar. Blend in beaten eggs. Add

baking soda to warm applesauce. Add immediately to

creamed mixture. Sift flour, cocoa, cinnamon, cloves,

mace, allspice, ginger and salt together and add to

mixture. Grind raisins and pecans together and add.

Pour into tube cake pan and bake in 375 degree oven 1

1/2 hour.

Pumpkin Roll with Vanilla Cream and Caramel Glaze



Prep time: 45 min

Cook Time: 12 min

Yield: 10 slices



Filling:

2/3 cup Crisco All-Vegetable Shortening

1 stick cold butter, cut into slices (1/2 cup)

3 cups powdered sugar

1/3 cup Pet Evaporated Milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

pinches salt

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (optional)



Cake:

1/4 cup powdered sugar

Crisco Original No-Stick Cooking Spray

1 cup Pillsbury BEST All Purpose Flour

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

4 large eggs

3/4 cup sugar

1 cup solid pack pumpkin



Topping:

Smucker's Caramel Sundae Syrups Ice Cream Topping

1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted*



Filling:

COMBINE shortening and butter in a small deep mixing

bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on high speed until

smooth and fluffy. In a separate bowl, combine

powdered sugar, evaporated milk, vanilla, salt and

pumpkin pie spice on low speed until well combined.

Add shortening mixture to powdered sugar mixture. Beat

on high speed of mixer just until stiff peaks form.

Cover and refrigerate.



Cake:

HEAT oven to 375F. Sift powdered sugar generously over

clean towel. Spray 15x10x1- inch jelly roll pan with

no-stick spray. Line with wax paper and spray with

no-stick spray.



COMBINE flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and

baking powder in a small bowl. In large mixing bowl,

beat eggs with electric mixer until thick. Gradually

add sugar and pumpkin, and then flour mixture. Once

flour is incorporated, beat 1 minute more. Spread

batter evenly into pan.



BAKE for 9-12 minutes or until toothpick inserted in

center comes out clean. Immediately loosen cake around

edges and invert onto towel. Carefully remove wax

paper. Roll cake in towel beginning at narrow end.

Cool cake completely on wire rack. Unroll cake; spread

filling evenly to edges of cake. Re-roll cake; wrap in

plastic wrap and refrigerate several hours before

serving.



Topping:

DRIZZLE cake with caramel syrup and sprinkle with

toasted almonds. Serve slices with additional caramel

syrup.



TIP TO TOAST NUTS: Place nuts in dry non-stick skillet

over medium heat, shaking pan until nuts are browned

lightly.



Source: Pillsbury

 

 

CHESTNUT TORTE WITH CHERRIES

Cranberry Upside Down Cake



3/4 cup unsalted butter

3/4 cup light brown sugar

3/4 lb. cranberries

1-1/2 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup granulated sugar

2 egg yolks

2 tsp. vanilla extract, divided

1/2 cup 2% milk

2 egg whites

1/4 tsp. cream of tartar

1 cup heavy cream, optional

1 TB confectioner'<WBR>s sugar, optional



Preheat oven to 350° F. Butter a 9" round cake pan.



In a small pan over medium heat, melt 4 tablespoons butter and the brown

sugar and

pour the mixture into the bottom of the cake pan.



Place the cranberries in the cake pan on top of the melted butter and sugar.



Mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a mixing bowl, cream the

remaining

1/2 cup butter with the sugar. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well

after each

addition. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla and mix well. Add the milk alternately with

the dry

ingredients, folding well after each addition.



In a small mixing bowl, using clean beaters, beat the egg whites to soft

peaks. Add the

cream of tartar and continue to beat until the peaks hold their shape. Fold

the whites

into the cake batter. Spread the batter over the fruit in the cake pan and

bake until a

toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 55 to

60 minutes.



Remove the cake from the oven and run a small knife around the edges.



Let sit for 15 minutes. Invert the cake onto a serving platter and let it sit

another 5 minutes,

then remove the pan.



Optional: Whip the heavy cream to soft peaks. Flavor with the remaining

vanilla and the

confectioners´ sugar.



Serve slices of cake topped with a dollop of the whipped cream, if desired.

COCONUT POUND CAKE

2 sticks butter
2 sticks butter
6 eggs
3 c. sugar
3 c. flour (Swan's Down cake flour)
1 tsp. coconut extract
1 (8 oz.) pkg. Philadelphia cream cheese

Cream butter, butter, and cream cheese. Add eggs, one at a time.
Add flour, sugar, almond and coconut extract. Blend together at
medium speed until smooth. Bake in 325 degree oven for 1 1/2
hours in greased and floured tube pan.

ICING:

1 stick butter
1 (8 oz.) pkg. Philadelphia cream cheese
1 box confectioners' sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
Grated coconut

Blend well, ice cooled cake, top with grated coconut.

Spiced Sweet Potato Cake with Brown Sugar Icing
Cake

4 (8 ounce) red skinned sweet potatoes (yams)
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Icing
1 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

For cake: Pierce sweet potatoes with fork. Microwave on high
until very tender, about 8 minutes per side. Cool, peel and
mash sweet potatoes.
Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 325 degrees F.
Spray 12 cup Bundt pan with nonstick spray, then generously
butter pan.
Sift flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking powder, baking soda and
salt into medium bowl. Measure enough mashed sweet potatoes
to equal two cups. Transfer to large bowl.
Add sugar and oil to sweet potatoes; using electric mixer,
beat until smooth. Add eggs 2 at a time, beating well after
each addition. Add flour mixture; beat just until blended.
Beat in vanilla extract.
Transfer batter to prepared pan.
Bake cake until tester inserted near center comes out clean,
about 1 hour and 5 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack 15 minutes.
Using small knife, cut around sides of pan and center tube to
loosen cake.
Turn out onto rack and cool completely.

For icing: Sift powdered sugar into medium bowl. Stir brown
sugar, whipping cream and butter in medium saucepan over medium?
low heat until butter melts and sugar dissolves.
Increase heat to medium high and bring to boil.
Boil 3 minutes, occasionally stirring and swirling pan. Remove
from heat and stir vanilla extract. Pour brown sugar mixture over
powdered sugar.
Whisk icing until smooth and lightened in color, about 1 minute.
Cool icing until lukewarm and icing falls in heavy ribbon from
spoon, whisking often, about 15 minutes.
Spoon icing thickly over top of cake, allowing icing to drip
down sides of cake. Let stand until icing is firm, at least
one hour. Can be prepared one day ahead. Cover with cake dome
and let stand at room temperature.

German Chocolate Upside-Down Cake



Hands on time: 10 minutes Total time: 1 hour and 15 minutes Serves:

12



1 cup shredded coconut

1 cup chopped pecans

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

1 (1-pound) box confectioners' sugar

1 (18.25-ounce) package German Chocolate cake mix, plus ingredients

listed on the package (eggs, oil, water)



Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-by-13-inch pan with cooking

spray. Sprinkle the coconut and pecans evenly over the bottom of the

pan. In a mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, butter and

confectioners' sugar; beat with a wooden spoon or electric mixer

until well-combined. Spread the cream cheese mixture over the coconut

and nuts.



Prepare the cake batter according to the package directions. Pour the

batter over the cream cheese mixture. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes,

until cake tests done. Cool at least 20 minutes or to room

temperature. To serve, cut the cake into squares. Lift each square

with a spatula and flip onto a dessert plate so that the gooey

coconut good stuff is on top.

Store the cake in the baking pan.



Notes:

Tip: If the gooey stuff at the bottom sticks to the pan, gently warm

the pan on the stove over low heat for 30 seconds.