All things PUMPKIN

Our book club decided to rotate every other month and do a cooking night instead of a book night (so fun right?) Each time we have a theme. This month the theme was recipes using pumpkin. I thought I would share a few of the yummy recipes with you. 

Maple Iced Pumpkin Bars

2 1/4 c. flour

2 1/2 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. salt

1 1/4 c. packed brown sugar

3/4 c. butter, soft

2 tsp. vanilla

2 large eggs

1 c.  Libbys pumpkin

Directions: Preheat oven to 350. Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a bowl. In mixer beat sugar butter and vanilla. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Beat in pumpkin then gradually add in flour mixture. Pour batter into a greased jelly roll pan and cook 20-25 minutes. Top with icing and topping of your choice (sprinkles, mini chocolate chips, or chopped pecans) 

Icing:

8 oz. cream cheese, soft

2 Tbs. Butter, soft

2 c. powdered sugar

1 tsp. maple flavor

Cream together butter and cream cheese, gradually add sugar. Add maple flavoring last.

Pumpkin Cake Roll

3/4 c. flour

1 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. ginger

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

dash of salt

3 large eggs

1 c. sugar

2/3 c. pumpkin

1 tsp. lemon juice

chopped walnuts (optional)

Pour batter into 10x15 jelly roll pan lined with waxed paper. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes.Immediately turn out onto a linen towel dusted with confectioners' sugar. Peel off paper and roll cake up in the towel, starting with the short end. Cool.Meanwhile mix the filling: 

1 c. powdered sugar

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese

4 Tbs. butter

1.2 tsp. vanilla 

Carefully unroll the cake. Spread filling over cake to within 1 inch of edges. Roll up again. Cover and chill until serving. Dust with additional confectioners' sugar, if desired. slice into pieces. 

Double Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake (sorry no picture)

2 (8 oz.) pkgs. cream cheese

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs

1 (9 inch) prepared graham cracker crust

1/2 c. pumpkin puree

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 pinch ground cloves

1 pinch ground nutmeg

1/2 c. frozen whipped topping, thawed

Directions: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In large bowl combine cream cheese, sugar and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Blend in eggs one at a time. Remove 1 c. batter and spread into bottom of crust; set aside. Add pumpkin, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg to remaining batter and stir gently until well blended. Carefully spread batter in the crust. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until center is almost set. Allow to cool, the refridgerate 3 hours or overnight. Top with whipped topping.

Four-Layer Pumpkin Cake

1 pkg. (2-layer size) yellow cake mix

1 can  (15 oz.) pumpkin, divided

1/2 cup milk

1/3 cup  oil

4 eggs

1-1/2 tsp.  pumpkin pie spice, divided

1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

1 cup  powdered sugar

1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed

1/4 cup  caramel ice cream topping

1/4 cup chopped PLANTERS Pecans

HEAT oven to 350°F.

BEAT cake mix, 1 cup pumpkin, milk, oil, eggs and 1 tsp. spice in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Pour into 2 greased and floured 9-inch round pans.

BAKE 28 to 30 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 min. Remove from pans to wire racks; cool completely.

BEAT cream cheese in medium bowl with mixer until creamy. Add sugar, remaining pumpkin and spice; mix well. Gently stir in COOL WHIP. Cut each cake layer horizontally in half with serrated knife; stack on serving plate, spreading cream cheese filling between layers. (Do not frost top layer.) Drizzle with caramel topping just before serving; top with nuts. Refrigerate leftovers.

HOW TO SLICE AND STACK CAKE LAYERS:
Place 1 of the cooled cake layers on serving plate. Make 2-inch horizontal cut around side of cake, using long serrated knife. Cut all the way through cake layer to make 2 layers. Remove top layer by sliding it onto 9-inch round cardboard circle. Frost cake layer on plate with 1/3 of the COOL WHIP mixture. Slide top half of split cake layer from cardboard circle onto frosted layer on plate. Place the remaining unsplit cake layer on a cutting board. Cut into 2 layers as done for the first layer. Repeat process of transferring cake layers to stacked cake layers on plate using the cardboard circle.