Praline-Pumpkin Cake

Praline-Pumpkin Cake



Cake mix and purchased frosting pair up with some extras to create a scrumptious pumpkin and praline indulgence.

Prep Time: 25 min
Total Time: 2 hours 15 min
Makes: 16 servings

1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup whipping cream
1 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans
1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® yellow cake mix
1 cup (from 15-oz can) pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 container (1 lb) Betty Crocker® Rich & Creamy cream cheese frosting
Caramel topping, if desired
Additional coarsely chopped pecans, if desired

1. Heat oven to 325°F. In 1-quart heavy saucepan, stir together butter, whipping cream and brown sugar. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, just until butter is melted. Pour into 2 (9- or 8-inch) round cake pans; sprinkle evenly with 3/4 cup pecans.

2. In large bowl, beat cake mix, pumpkin, water, oil, eggs and 1 teaspoon of the pumpkin pie spice with electric mixer on low speed until moistened. Beat 2 minutes on medium speed. Carefully spoon batter over pecan mixture in each pan.

3. Bake 43 to 45 minutes or until cake springs back when touched lightly in center. Cool 5 minutes; remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

4. Stir remaining 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice into frosting. To assemble cake, place 1 layer, praline side up, on serving plate. Spread with half of the frosting. Top with second layer, praline side up; spread remaining frosting to edge of layer. Drizzle with caramel topping and additional pecans. Store loosely covered in refrigerator.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Bake 9-inch pans 43 to 45 minutes, 8-inch pans 48 to 50 minutes.

Make the Most of This Recipe Success:
Cool layer cakes in their pans on wire racks for 5 minutes. This keeps the cake from breaking apart while it's too warm and tender.

Nutrition Information:
1 Serving: Calories 480 (Calories from Fat 230); Total Fat 25g (Saturated Fat 9g, Trans Fat 3g); Cholesterol 70mg; Sodium 340mg; Total Carbohydrate 59g (Dietary Fiber 0g, Sugars 46g); Protein 3g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 50%; Vitamin C 0%; Calcium 8%; Iron 8% Exchanges: 1 Starch; 3 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Vegetable; 5 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 4
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Thanks Betty Crocker!

Pina Colada Cake

Also taken from the Tennessean's Life and Food section September 16, 2009.



Looks good to me!

Funnel Cake!

Ok, so I adore funnel cake. I don't know why. Because it's fried? Because it's sweet goodness? Who knows. I made some this morning after MONTHS of craving it, and it was DE-LISH!

Funnel Cake



Ingredients:
1 egg
2/3 cup milk
2 tbsp. sugar
1 1/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder

Directions:

1. Beat egg and milk. Mix all other ingredients and slowly add to the egg mixture, beating until smooth.

2. Using a funnel, drop into hot oil working from center outwards. Remove from the oil when golden brown and crispy.

3. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.

German Apple Cake

German Apple Cake

OK, this one is so good and even works if your apples are getting a little soft. It has the wonderful flavors of fall sweet Cinnamon and sugar. I know it's cake but I somehow feel healthier about eating it because of all the apples. Totally a false sense of reality but it works for me.

The Cake

2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups white sugar
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
5-6 cups apples - peeled, cored and diced


DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour(I dusted with Cinnamon and sugar) one 9x13 inch cake pan.
In a mixing bowl; beat oil and eggs with an electric mixer until creamy(over do it). Add the sugar and vanilla and whip well(really really well at least 3 min).
Combine the flour salt, baking soda, and ground cinnamon together in a bowl. Slowly add this mixture to the egg mixture and mix until combined. The batter will be very thick. Fold in the apples by hand using a wooden spoon. Spread batter into the prepared pan.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 minutes or until cake tests done. Let cake cool on a wire rack. Once cake is cool serve with a dusting of confectioners' sugar or with a Cream Cheese Frosting.

I did neither. It was almost all eaten before I got the chance but I was going to try a caramel glaze.

Glaze:
1/2 C Butter
1/2 C Brown Sugar
1/4 C Cream

Bring to a boil and boil 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add 1/2 t Vanilla - let cool slightly before pouring over warm cake. To make perfect serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Stolen verbatem via Lisha's friend Britt, so when the recipe says "I" it's not me. :)

Wacky Cake (egg-free!)

Wacky Cake
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Sift into bowl:
2 C sugar
3 C flour
1/2 C cocoa powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda

add:
2/3 C oil
2 tsp vanilla
2 TBSP cider vinegar
2 C water

Mix well. Pour into greased pan. Sprinkle to with chocolate chips. Bake for 30 minutes.

Courtesy of Paula

Carrot Cake Oatmeal

Carrot Cake Oatmeal
Adapted from Kath Eats via Simple Mom

Serves 1

1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup soy milk
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup of grated carrot (I think this might've been 1 carrot?)
pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp brown sugar
2 tbsp nonfat plain yogurt
1 tsp maple syrup
1 tbsp chopped pecans
1 tbsp shredded unsweetened coconut

Combine the rolled oats, soy milk, water, carrots and salt in a saucepan. Turn heat to medium and stir occasionally until mixture comes almost to a boil and most of the liquid is absorbed, which takes about 5-7 minutes. When oats are done, stir in vanilla and brown sugar.

While oats are cooking make "icing" by blending 2 tbsp of non-fat plain yogurt with 1 tsp maple syrup. Toast pecans in the toaster oven for a few minuteS (watch carefully).

Pour oats into a bowl and top with coconut, pecans and icing.

Peach and Cornmeal Upsideown Cake

Again, gotta love Martha!

Toldja I was browsing and Loving it.

The carefree days of summer are embodied in this relatively effortless, yet elegant, skillet dessert. Aromatic lavender permeates the lightly sweetened cornmeal cake, and plump peaches impart even more fragrance and flavor.

Ingredients

Serves 8

• 5 1/2 ounces (1 stick plus 3 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 medium ripe peaches (about 1 1/4 pounds), skins on, pitted, and cut into 3/4-inch wedges
• 1 cup coarse yellow cornmeal or polenta
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh lavender, or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried lavender
• 1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat, using a pastry brush to coat sides with butter as it melts. Sprinkle 1/4 cup sugar evenly over bottom of skillet, and cook until sugar starts to bubble and turn golden brown, about 3 minutes. Arrange peaches in a circle at edge of skillet, on top of sugar. Arrange the remaining wedges in the center to fill. Reduce heat to low, and cook until juices are bubbling and peaches begin to soften, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat.
   
   
2. Whisk cornmeal, flour, baking powder, lavender, and salt in a medium bowl. Beat remaining stick of butter and 3/4 cup sugar with a mixer on high speed, until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl. Mix in vanilla and cream. Reduce speed to low, and beat in cornmeal mixture in 2 additions.
3. Drop large spoonfuls of batter over peaches, and spread evenly using an offset spatula. Bake until golden brown and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 22 minutes. Transfer skillet to a wire rack, and let stand for 10 minutes. Run a knife or spatula around edge of cake. Quickly invert cake onto a cutting board. Tap bottom of skillet to release peaches, and carefully remove skillet. Reposition peach slices on top of cake. Let cool slightly before serving.
   
   

Helpful Hint

Perfectly ripe peaches, available from May to October, will feel heavy for their size, yield slightly to gentle pressure, and emit a sweet, heady perfume. Avoid any fruit tinged with green, as it won't ripen. Ready-to-eat peaches last 3 to 5 days refrigerated; firmer ones will soften when kept in a brown paper bag on the counter for up to 3 days.

Yum, yum, gimmie some!

Banana Cake

I was cleaning out my church bag, and I found a newsletter from the Buffalo Ward, from October '07, and there's a recipe that I wanted to put here.

Briste's Banana Cake

1 Yellow Cke Mix
1/3 c. Oil
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 c. buttermilk (instead of water)
3 ripe bananas (mashed)
3 eggs

Bake @ 325F for 30 minutes or a little longer. Test cake

Frosting:
1 stick of butter
1 lb. Powdered Sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Continue adding cool whip to this mixture until fluffy (min. one tub)

Shortcut Carrot Cake

I love a good shortcut, and this is no exception! Check it out!

Shortcut Carrot Cake


Prep: 30 min
Ready In: 1 hr 30 min
Serves: 18

1 pkg. (2-layer size) spice cake mix
2 cups shredded carrots (about 1/2 lb./225 g)
1 can (14 fl oz/398mL) crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup chopped toasted pecans, divided
2 pkg. (250 g each) PHILADELPHIA Brick Cream Cheese, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
3 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Prepare cake batter as directed on package; stir in carrots, pineapple and 3/4 cup of the pecans. Pour into two 8-inch square baking pans. Bake 25 to 30 min. or until wooden toothpick inserted in centres comes out clean. Cool 10 min.; remove to wire racks. Cool completely.

MEANWHILE, beat cream cheese and sugar with electric mixer or wire whisk until well blended. Stir in whipped topping.

PLACE one cake layer on serving plate. Spread with 1-1/2 cups of the cream cheese mixture. Carefully place second cake layer on top of first layer. Frost top and sides of cake with remaining cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup pecans. Store in refrigerator.

Substitute
Substitute yellow cake mix plus 2 tsp. ground cinnamon for the spice cake mix.

Jazz It Up
For a special decorative design, use a wooden toothpick to draw four diagonal lines across top of cake; sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup pecans over lines.

Variation
Try using raisins instead of the pecans.

Courtesy of Kraft

"Yellow Flag" Dessert Skewers

Ingredients:

1 pineapple, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 frozen pound cake, slightly thawed, cut into 1-inch cubes
Honey, for drizzling


Directions:

1. Soak 8 wood skewers in water. Preheat an outdoor grill or grill pan to medium-high. Alternately thread 4 cubes each of pineapple and pound cake on each skewer.
2. Grill, turning once, until lightly charred, about 1 minute per side. Drizzle with honey.

Loving this idea! Thanks to Natalie for posting it!

Spicy Pumpkin Cake with Chocolate Chunks

I stole this one from Heather. :) I absolutely love Pumpkin with Chocolate. And I've always wanted a recipe for something like this. Looks super easy too! I can't wait to make it!

Spicy Pumpkin Cake with Chocolate Chunks

1 pkg. (2-layer size) spice cake mix
1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened, divided
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
6 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate, coarsely chopped (I use chocolate chips)
1/2 cup thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping
2 Tbsp. sugar



PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Prepare cake mix as directed on package, reducing water to 1/2 cup and increasing oil to 1/2 cup. Add half of the cream cheese, the pumpkin, cinnamon and ginger. Beat on medium speed until well blended. Stir in chopped chocolate. Pour into greased 12-cup fluted tube pan or 10-inch tube pan.
BAKE 40 to 45 min. or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 min. Remove from pan; cool completely on wire rack.
MIX remaining cream cheese, whipped topping and sugar until well blended. Spread on top of cooled cake. Cut into 16 slices to serve.


Heather posted it again, and added the following bolded tips:


1 pkg. (2-layer size) spice cake mix **must be Dunkin Heinz-I have used a yellow cake mix because that's what I had, and added extra cinnamon and all-spice, it's just as good-but I'm partial to the Dunkin Heinz mix!**
1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened, divided **I use 1 and 1/2 bars of cream cheese, I follow the directions for the cake portion (the 1/2 goes into the cake), but I double the frosting so a full bar of cream cheese goes into the frosting, sooooo, it's extra tasty**
1 cup canned pumpkin **I have been using the large marge can of pumpkin and adding a little bit extra-just cuz I like it really moist (love that word) but you can add just the one can of the regular sized pumpkin and be just fine**
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
6 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, coarsely chopped **I throw in chocolate chips-several hand fulls**
1/2 cup thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping **there will be no Cool Whip in my house, not really I have made it with Cool Whip and it's good, but making the REAL whipping cream (don't forget to make a full cup of it because like I said before I double the frosting) is so much better than the Cool Whip and it's really not hard to do-that's all I'll do from now on!**
2 Tbsp. sugar

Thanks for the tips Heather!