Pumpkin Poke Cake

I love pumpkin season!  Let the recipes begin!

Cake:

1 box yellow cake mix

1 small can of pumpkin puree

1 14 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk

Frosting:

1 8 oz. tub of cool whip

1/2 bag of Heath Toffee Bits

Caramel Sundae Sauce, for drizzling (I think I used a third of a small jar)

Instructions:

Combine the cake mix and pumpkin puree until well blended.  Pour the batter into a greased 9x13 baking dish.  Bake at 350 according to the directions on the cake mix box.  I baked mine for about 25 minutes.

Let the cake cool for about 10 minutes.  Then using a wooden spoon end, poke holes all over the top of the cake about an inch apart.  Pour the sweetened condensed milk over the cake, filling in the holes.  Refrigerate the cake for 30 minutes.  

Spread the cool whip over the top of the cake.  Drizzle the caramel over the top and sprinkle on the heath bits.  Refrigerate the cake for at least 3-4 hours, or overnight for best results.

Peanut Butter Crumb Cake

I know it's shocking that I would post a peanut butter recipe, but we really liked this cake.  It is a little different in that it has a peanut butter crumb topping and chocolate chips on top.  I think next time I may even put some of the chocolate chips in the batter.  

• 2 & 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups light brown sugar
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 eggs
• 1 and 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat your oven to 350° and spray a 9″x 13″ baking pan with cooking spray.

Combine flour, brown sugar, peanut butter, and butter.  I used my kitchen aid but a handheld mixer would work too.  Remove 1 cup of the peanut butter mixture.  This will be your crumb topping.

Add the baking powder and baking soda to the peanut butter mixture. Next mix in the milk and vanilla. Add the eggs individually and mix well after each addition.

Pour the batter into the prepared 9"x 13" pan. Sprinkle the top with the reserved peanut butter mixture and chocolate chips. I alternated half the mixture and then half the chocolate chips.  Then the rest of the mixture and the chips on top.  Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  

Peanut butter frosting

I made a Reese's peanut butter cake for Derek's birthday. The chocolate cake was average but the frosting was AMAZING! Forget frosting the cake, just eat this frosting! I found this recipe on the food network. It was a recipe by Ina Garten (aka the Barefoot Contessa). She called it Kathleen's Peanut butter frosting. Thank you Kathleen! Whoever you are.
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup powdered sugar
5 Tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup heavy cream
Beat the first five ingredients on medium-low speed until creamy. Be sure and scrape down the sides of the bowl periodically. Add the cream and beat on high until it's light and smooth.

Pumpkin Rolls

3 eggs
1 C -sugar
2/3 C- pumpkin
1 tsp- lemon juice
3/4 C- flour
2 tsp- cinnamon
1 tsp- nutmeg
1 tsp- ginger
1 tsp- baking powder
1/2 tsp- salt
1 C chopped nuts

Filling
1 C confectioner sugar (powder sugar)
1 3 oz package cream cheese
4 TBS- butter
1/2 tsp- vanilla

Beat eggs 5 minutes at high speed. Gradually adding sugar. Stir in pumpkin and lemon juice and dry ingredients except nuts. Spread batter on greased and flour an lined with wax paper. Sprinkle nuts over top. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes or until done. Turn off on towel dusted with powdered sugar. Roll towel and cake together and cool. While cake is cooling, mix filling by adding all ingredients and mixing to frosting consistency. After cake is cool unroll cake and spread filling. Roll cake back up and refrigerate.

Red Velvet Cake

Happy Birthday to me!!! I decided to make a red velvet cake for my birthday cake this year because I had never had one before. At first I was a little surprised when I tasted it because it was so different from any other cake I've had. The taste has grown on me and now I really like it. Plus it's such a beautiful red color!

Red Velvet Cake

2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons cocoa powder (unsweetened)
2 oz. red food coloring
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon baking soda

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.

2. Sift together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl; set aside. In a small bowl, mix food coloring and cocoa powder to form a thin paste without lumps; set aside.

3. In a large bowl, using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about three minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then beat in vanilla and the red cocoa paste, scraping down the bowl with a spatula as you go. Add one third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, beat well, then beat in half of the buttermilk. Beat in another third of flour mixture, then second half of buttermilk. End with the last third of the flour mixture, beat until well combined, making sure to scrape down the bowl with a spatula.

4. Make sure you have cake pans buttered, floured, and nearby. In a small bowl, mix vinegar and baking soda. Add it to the cake batter and stir well to combine. Working quickly, divide batter evenly between the cake pans and place them in a preheated 350 degree oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Check early, cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

5. Cool the cakes in their pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. To remove the cakes from the pan, place a wire rack on top of the cake pan and invert, then gently lift the pan. Allow cakes to cool completely before frosting. Frost with cream cheese icing (recipe below).

Cream Cheese Frosting

16 oz. cream cheese (2 packages), softened
1/2 cup unsalted butter (one stick), softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
pinch of salt

With an electric mixer, blend together cream cheese and butter until smooth. Turn mixer to low speed and blend in powdered sugar, salt and vanilla extract. Turn mixer on high and beat until light and fluffy. Frost cake.

Frosted Pumpkin Cake

I tried this recipe out of the latest Cooking Light Magazine and it was very yummy. I love all things pumpkin!

Cake:
2 1/4 cups flour
2 1/2 t. baking powder
2 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. salt
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 butter, softened
1 t. vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree
Cooking spray

Frosting:
2 T butter, softened
1/2 t. vanilla extract
1 (8 oz) package 1/3 less-fat cream cheese
2 cups sifted powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl, and stir with a whisk. Set aside. Combine brown sugar, 1/4 cup butter, and 1 t. vanilla extract in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well combined. Add eggs, 1 at a time, to sugar mixture; beat well after each addition. Add pumpkin; mix well. Fold in flour mixture. Spread batter into a 9 X 13 inch baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.

To prepare the frosting, combine 2 T butter, 1/2 t. vanilla extract and cream cheese in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until combined. Gradually add the powdered sugar, beating until well combined. Spread frosting evenly over top of cake.