Fresh Cranberry Cake

What's on your Thanksgiving menu this year?  I may have to go buy more cranberries so this cranberry cake can be a late addition to mine.  For the most part, I'm sticking with classic recipes this year but adding in a few new items as well.

Cider Brined Turkey and Gravy

Mashed Potatoes

Sweet Potato Casserole - I'm doing a cross between this recipe and a copycat Ruth's Chris Steakhouse version

Dressing with apples and cranberries

Broccoli Cheddar Quinoa

Stove Top Macaroni and Cheese

Cranberry Sauce

Harvest Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash

Crock Pot Apple Butter Yeast Rolls

Classic Pumpkin Pie

Salted Caramel Apple Pie

Pumpkin Roll

If you haven't nailed down your desserts yet, I've got a new one for you to try.  This takes about 20 minutes of prep time, but with a stand mixer about half of that time is just running the mixer.  It's so simple and likely the only thing you don't already have in the pantry are fresh cranberries.  Take advantage of the cheap fresh berries in every grocery store and make this cake while they are in season.  The tart cranberries are perfect with the sweetness of the cake and the light glaze.  Served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, this is a great finish to Thanksgiving dinner.

Fresh Cranberry Cake

Cake:
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
3/4 cup unsalted butter, slightly softened
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 T orange zest
2 cups flour
1 tsp cinnamon
2 1/2 cups cranberries

Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
2-3 T milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 10" springform pan or 9"x13" baking pan with baking spray and set aside.

Combine sugar and eggs in the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl.  Mix 6-8 minutes on medium speed until pale yellow and doubled in volume.  Add in butter and extracts and zest and mix two more minutes.  Add flour and cinnamon and stir until combined.  Fold in cranberries.  Transfer batter to prepared pan.  If you are baking in a springform pan, put the pan on a cookie sheet and put in the oven.  Bake approximately one hour (about 45 minutes in a 9"x13" pan).  Cool completely and remove ring from pan.

Put powdered sugar in a small bowl, add milk one tablespoon at a time, whisking until smooth.  Add vanilla and drizzle over cake.

Butterscotch Pumpkin Blondies

Do you still have an extra can or two of pumpkin in your pantry from Thanksgiving?  Or maybe you're like me and you buy a dozen cans as soon as it hits the shelves so that you don't run out.  I'm down to three cans and thinking I should pick up a few more because I really don't accept that I can only use pumpkin in the fall.  Especially when I can make things like these blondies.  These are so rich and delicious and they are easy to make as well. 

The original recipe called for chocolate chips but I think the butterscotch is a better combination.  You could use white chocolate if you prefer as well. 

Butterscotch Pumpkin Blondies
Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart

2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 large egg
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup butterscotch chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 9x13 pan with foil and spray with baking spray. 

In a medium bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, soda, and salt and whisk together and set aside.  In a second mixing bowl, combine butter and sugar and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about two minutes.  Beat in egg, vanilla and pumpkin.  Mixture may appear slightly curdled at this point but its okay.  Add dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just incorporated.  Stir in butterscotch chips. 

Spread batter in prepared pan and smooth out the top with a rubber spatula.  Bake about 35-40 minutes until edges begin to pull away from side of pan and toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean.  Cool completely in the pan.  Invert out of pan onto wire rack, peel off foil, cut into squares and transfer to a serving plate.

Note: As per FTC requirements, the butter in this dish was provided by Real Butter, as part of a Tastemaker promotion sponsored by Real Butter for holiday baking.  I received a gift package of butter and holiday baking supplies.  However, the opinions above are strictly mine and are not affected by this promotion.

Pumpkin Roll

While this is a classic recipe, it was one I've never made on my own before.  It's a really impressive dessert, especially when you serve it to people who aren't familiar with it because it looks much more difficult than it is.  I got lots of "oohs and aahs" when I sliced it at Thanksgiving.  This requires less than 20 minutes of baking time.  Everything else is just waiting on cooling and refrigeration.  Give yourself plenty of time to refrigerate though because this is best served cold.  If you want to make it in advance, you can also freeze it. 

The pumpkin part of the recipe is a very thin pumpkin cake -- you'll want to be careful not to overcook this and use the right size pan.  You want a moist cake that will easily roll up.  You need a thin cotton towel as well, preferably one without much texture like a flour sack dishtowel, otherwise your cake will end up with impressions from your towel and your towel may be more likely to leave little cotton fibers on the cake.  Be liberal with the powdered sugar when you sprinkle it on the towel, it's like flouring a counter to roll out pizza dough, you don't want it to stick.  The original recipe also calls for walnuts but I left those out and added a little ginger and nutmeg to the cake.

For the cream filling, it's essentially a thick cream cheese frosting.  I added some maple syrup and vanilla extract for flavoring to mine.  Don't go overboard with the filling.  It doesn't look like a lot when you make it but there will be plenty.  You want to spread it in a thin even layer over the cake.  Once you roll it up, the filling is so rich and creamy that you don't want it to overpower the cake. 

Pumpkin Roll

Adapted from Libby's

Cake:
3/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp salt

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

2/3 cup pumpkin puree

Filling:

8 oz cream cheese, softened

6 T unsalted butter, softened

2 T maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup powdered sugar (plus more for towel and dusting)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Spray a 10" x 15" jellyroll pan with baking spray and line with parchment paper, spray parchment paper as well.  (The parchment paper is just extra insurance that you cake will come out of the pan cleanly.)

Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and spices in a large mixing bowl and whisk to fluff and incorporate.  Beat eggs and sugar in a mixing bowl until thick and creamy.  Add pumpkin and beat well.  Add flour mixture and beat on low speed until incorporated.  Spread evenly into prepared pan.  Bake 11-15 minutes, rotating halfway through to insure your oven cooks evenly.  The cake should spring back when lightly touched. 

Prepare kitchen towel by sprinkling with about 1/4 cup powdered sugar in a thin layer.  Loosen cake from pan by running a knife around all edges.  Carefully flip cake onto towel and peel off parchment paper.  Gently roll cake and towel up together and transfer to a wire rack to cool.  Let cool completely before assembling.

For filling, beat together cream cheese and butter about 2-3 minutes until smooth.  Add syrup and vanilla and beat until combined.  Add powdered sugar and beat on low speed until combined, increase speed to medium high and whip until light and fluffy.  Set aside until cake is cooled.

To assemble, carefully unroll cake.  Quickly spread a thin layer of filling evenly over the cake and re-roll cake without the towel.  Wrap cake in a double layer of plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour.  Dust with powdered sugar just before serving. 

A Fall Favorite: Pumpkin Cupcakes

As I've mentioned before pumpkin desserts are some of my favorites.  I didn't use to think so, I was never a fan of pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving, I always picked apple.  But in the past couple of years, I have really developed a taste for pumpkin.  I realized that maybe it was just the traditional pumpkin pie I wasn't a big fan of; pumpkin bread, pumpkin muffins, and pumpkin cheesecake were all delicious.  These pumpkin cupcakes are my new favorite of all of them.  In fact, I think they are my new favorite cupcake overall. 

The cupcake part of these is a light and delicious cake.  The pumpkin really makes a moist cake and the spices are perfect for fall.  Your whole house will smell like fall within minutes of putting these in the oven.  I frosted these with a classic cream cheese frosting which works perfectly with the pumpkin flavors.  Top them with sprinkles, maybe some caramel sauce or those cute little candy pumpkins they sell this time of year and they are a perfect fall dessert. 

I actually found this recipe browsing at Williams-Sonoma in the mall.  They had some seasonal recipe cards in the store and with all the fall scents that pipe through that place, this recipe quickly went on my short list of things to make.  The raisins and walnuts made it seem more muffin like than cupcake like so I left those out but added a little ground ginger to the spices.  Make sure you get pure pumpkin puree for this recipe and not the pumpkin pie filling in the can. 

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Recipe adapted from Williams-Sonoma

Cupcake:

2 2/3 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1 15 oz can pumpkin puree
1 cup sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
1 cup canola oil
4 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners or spray pans with cooking spray. 

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and spices in a large bowl.  Whisk or sift to combine and set aside.  In mixing bowl, cream together pumpkin, sugars, and oil.  Mix on medium high speed about one minute until well combined.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.  Add flour mixture in three additions, mixing on low speed until just incorporated after each addition. 

Fill cupcakes 3/4 of way full and bake approximately twenty minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool in pans about five minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.  Frost as desired.

Frosting:
1 8 oz package cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
3-4 cups powdered sugar

Combine cream cheese and butter and beat on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.  Add cream and vanilla and mix in until incorporated.  Add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, mixing after each addition until well incorporated, to reach desired consistency to frost cupcakes.  Pipe or spread onto cooled cupcakes as desired.

Pumpkin Dip

Since pumpkin has returned to store shelves finally, I'm taking full advantage.  I stocked up on half a dozen cans and have plans for lots of good stuff.  I didn't have time to bake anything (or the need to) this weekend, but I decided to make a pumpkin dip for tailgating instead.  Now this might not be your typical tailgate food as it doesnt contain any buffalo sauce, cheese, or alcohol, but it was definitely addictive.  Served with apple slices, grapes, and vanilla wafers, it was a perfect gameday (or anytime) appetizer and it's really easy to put together.  If you want to make the dip ahead of time, it will keep just fine in the refrigerator.  If you prep your apple slices ahead of time, make sure you toss them with a little lemon juice to keep from browning.

Feel free to sub fat free or reduced fat cream cheese in this recipe - I can't tell the difference and neither could anyone I served it too.  You could also sub a low fat/fat free whipped topping for the whipped cream (just leave out the powdered sugar) but I used the good stuff because I dont generally have whipped topping on hand.  The whipped cream gives this dip a really light, mousse-like texture that's perfect with the fruit and cookies.

Pumpkin Dip

Inspired by She Wears Many Hats

1 8 oz package cream cheese, at room temperature

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 cup pumpkin puree

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp cinnamon

1 cup heavy whipping cream

3 T powdered sugar

Beat cream cheese and brown sugar on medium speed until smooth and fluffy.  Add pumpkin and spices and mix until well blended.  Mixture will be fairly thin.

In a separate, cold bowl beat whipping cream with a whisk attachment on high speed until peaks form.  Slowly add powdered sugar, one tablespoon at a time until incorporated.  Fold whipped cream into pumpkin mixture and serve.  If not serving right away, cover and refrigerate. 

Pumpkin Cranberry Granola

A healthy snack that tastes great on its own or mixed with yogurt. Make sure you use pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling. This is also a recipe where it works best to use quality maple syrup. Pancake syrup will work but it won't give it a true maple flavor, it just adds sweetness. Spring for the good stuff if you can. If you prefer raisins to cranberries, increase one and decrease the other. Same for the nuts, use pecans instead of walnuts or leave them out altogether. The great thing about this recipe is how easy it is to substitute what you like to tailor the recipe to your specifications.

Pumpkin Cranberry Granola
Recipe adapted from Ashlee at A Year in the Kitchen

2 1/2 cups old fashion rolled oats
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup golden raisins
3/4 cup dried cranberries
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 T olive or canola oil (I used citrus infused olive oil, use canola oil if you want less flavor)
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with a Silpat or parchment paper. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well until the wet ingredients are evenly incorporated. Spread out mix onto a baking sheet, try to get it into an even layer but don't worry too much about clumps at this point. Bake about 30 minutes, stir and spread mixture in an even layer again. Continue baking about 30 minutes more. Let cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Pumpkin Spice Layer Cake

This cake just tastes like fall should. Its super moist and the frosting is rich and creamy. The coconut and pineapple add such great texture. You have to try this one and it comes together super quick and easy.

Pumpkin Spice Layer Cake

adapted from Epicurious

2 cups AP flour

2 cups sugar

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground cloves

3 large eggs

1 cup canola oil

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups pumpkin puree (unsweetened not pie filling)

1 cup lightly packed sweetened coconut

3/4 cup canned crushed pineapple with juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour 2 8" or 9" cake pans. Mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and spices. Beat eggs with oil and add to dry ingredients. Stir just until combined. Stir together pumpkin, crushed pineapple, vanilla and coconut. Add to cake batter and stir just until combined. Pour batter into pans, distributing evenly. Bake for approximately 35 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool approximately 15 minutes and then remove from pan and transfer to wire rack to finish cooling.

Cream Cheese Frosting

2 packages cream cheese, room temperature

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

2 T pumpkin puree

1 tsp vanilla extract

Beat cream cheese for approximately 5 minutes until smooth and creamy. Add butter and beat another 3 minutes. Add pumpkin and vanilla and beat until well incorporated about 1 minute. Add powdered sugar and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Level cakes as necessary so they will stack evenly. Place bottom layer on cake plate or serving tray. Spread about 1 cup of frosting on the top and smooth into a thick layer with an offset spatula. Add 2nd layer of cake. Top with about 2 cups of frosting and smooth a thick layer over the top and down the sides of the cake. Dust with cinnamon or decorate as desired.

Pumpkin Apple Quick Bread

Adapted from: BrannyBoilsOver

Topping:

5 T sugar

1 T all-purpose flour

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 Tbs unsalted butter, softened

Bread:

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground cloves

15 oz can solid-pack pumpkin

3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

2 cups sugar

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 Granny smith apples, grated

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 2 9" loaf pans. Coarsely grate 2 apples (think zucchini bread). Cream together applesauce, pumpkin, sugar and eggs. In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Add to wet ingredients and mix until just incorporated. Fold in grated apples. Pour batter evenly into prepared pans. Combine topping ingredients, working butter into mix with your fingers until crumbly. Sprinkle on top of loaves. Bake for approximately 1 hour, until a skewer or knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool for about 15 minutes and then remove from pans and finish cooling on a wire rack.

This bread is great plain or topped with a little apple butter.

Pumpkin Cheesecake (Again)

So my 2nd attempt at a pumpkin cheesecake was much more successful. The addition of real pumpkin made it so.much.better. That should have been a given, I guess.

This recipe was adapted from Joy of Baking, but the changes were minor (mostly due to what I had on hand).

Pumpkin Cheesecake
(Serves 10)

Crust:
1 1/2 cups graham crackers
2 T sugar
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon
4 T butter, melted

Pulse graham crackers in a food processor until finely ground, add sugar, ginger, cinnamon and melted butter and pulse until the mixture is combined and crumbly. Press into a buttered, 9" spring form pan, using a smooth glass or measuring cup to uniformly press the crust into the bottom and sides of the pan. Refrigerate crust while you prepare the filling.

Filling:
2 packages cream cheese, room temperature (1 pound) - I used 1/3 less fat
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup pumpkin puree

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In mixing bowl, beat cream cheese on low speed until smooth (about 2 min). Slowly add the sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and salt and beat until smooth and creamy (1-2 min). Add eggs individually, beating and scraping the sides of the bowl after each addition. Add vanilla and pumpkin and beat lightly (about 30 sec). Pour the mixture over the chilled crust.

Place springform pan on a jellyroll pan in oven. Place a cake pan, filled halfway with water on the bottom shelf of the oven to moisten the air. Bake for 30 minutes, then reduce heat to 325 degrees. Continue baking for 10-20 minutes (I only did 10) until edges begin to puff but center of cheesecake is still wet and jiggles. Remove to a wire rack to cool. Run a knife gently around the edge of the pan to help prevent cracking.

Topping:
1/2 cup sour cream (I used FF)
1/2 cup vanilla yogurt (I used FF)
2 T sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
Dusting of cinnamon

Whisk topping together and pour over slightly cooled cheesecake. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving.

Hershey's Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake

As I walking through Target on Monday night, I came across a bag of Hershey's Pumpkin Spice Kisses. I've never had them, but have heard good things, so I bought a package. On the back of the package was a recipe for Pumpkin Spice Swirl Cheesecake Pie. I was planning on making a pumpkin cheesecake this week anyway, so I thought I would give the recipe a try. Although it was good, it didnt really satisfy my desire for a pumpkin cheesecake. So I'm still planning on making some real pumpkin cheesecake too. I wanted to make the cheesecake in my springform pan, I got a set as a wedding present and haven't tried them out yet, so instead of making this in a pie plate as the recipe suggests, I made it in an 8" springform pan which worked great. The recipe below contains my slight modifications.

Hershey's Pumpkin Spice Swirl Cheesecake

(Serves 8-10)

Crust

1 1/2 cups crushed graham crackers

4 T butter, melted

1/3 cup sugar

Filling

2 pkgs cream cheese

½ cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

30 Pumpkin Spice Hershey Kisses

1 tablespoon milk

Topping

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1-2 T sugar

Cinnamon

8-10 Pumpkin Spice Hershey Kisses

Heat oven to 350 degrees and butter pan. Mix crushed graham cracker crumbs and sugar and add melted butter until well mixed. Press into pan, using a smooth glass or measuring cup to press evenly into bottom and sides of pan. Bake crust in the oven for approx 10 minutes.

Mix softened cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until creamy. Add each egg, beating well after each addition. Remove 1/4 cup of batter, and pour remaining filling into crust. Heat kisses in the microwave for approx 30 seconds. Stir and continue heating in 10 second intervals as needed. Mix in 1/4 cup batter and stir well. Drop spoonfuls of the candy mixture into the cream cheese filling. Swirl with a knife as desired. Bake for approx 30 minutes until center is almost set. Cool on wire rack until completely cool and then refrigerate. When you are ready to serve, pour heavy cream in a bowl and beat, slowly add sugar, and beat with whisk until light and fluffy. Top cheesecake with whip cream and garnish with remaining kisses as desired. Dust lightly with cinnamon.