Rose Cake and Buttercream Frosting

I needed to make a cake for my cute little one's birthday and my sister Natalie had made a rose cake that was darling, so I decided to give it a try. The original idea came from the "I Am Baker" blog, but I adapted it a little to my taste. You need a good thick frosting so that the roses will hold their shape. This is what I used and I thought that it worked great and tasted amazing!

1/2 cup butter- softened
1/2 cup shortening
1 tsp. vanilla
1 scant tsp. lemon extract
8 cups (2 lbs.) powdered sugar
1/3-1/2 cup milk

Soften butter and shortening at room temperature for a couple hours and then mix together well with vanilla and lemon extract. Slowly add powdered sugar and blend until well combined. Add milk just until you reach the right consistency. Remember that this frosting should be a little stiffer than normal. Add coloring if desired.

You can use any cake mix or recipe that you like and bake it in 2- 9 inch round pans. Allow the cakes to cool and then flatten off the top of one of the cakes. Place the flattened cake on your serving stand, spread with an even layer of frosting, and then place the other cake on top. Spread on a good crumb coat before putting on the roses.

You will need a Wilton 1M tip and a good frosting bag. Start with the sides and create roses by starting in the middle and swirling the frosting outward in a circle. Continue all the way around the edge and then do the roses on top. You can fill in the dead spaces with a little extra swipe from the frosting bag. Super easy for a beautiful result!

Chocolate Mint Cake

Recipe from JoLynn Larsen via Katherine Perry 

This cake has been made famous by my Mom's neighbor Katherine. It is a hit at any party. When my husband's birthday came around this year, I knew I had to make this for him.  It was a crowd-pleaser as usual. 

 Bake as directed one Betty Crocker triple chocolate cake mix.

Mint filling:
1 8oz. package cream cheese
2 Tbs butter
3-4 c, powdered sugar
a few drops mint extract
green food coloring
Milk to reach desired consistency (I made mine too runny, next time I will make it thicker)

Buttercream icing:
1 c. butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3-4 Tbsp milk (or cream)
4 c. sifted powdered sugar (approx. 1lb)
3/4 c. cocoa or 3 (1 oz) unsweetened chocolate squares, melted

Ganache:
1 (12 oz) bag semi-sweet chocolate chips (can use milk chocolate if you don't like the strong flavor of semi-sweet)
1 c. whipping cream

Melt above together. Boil 10 seconds, stirring constantly. Cool in the fridge, outside or on top of a bowl of ice. It will probably take more than an hour. Cool until the consistency resembles a thick pudding such that it will just roll down the sides of the cake and stop. Make sure it isn't too runny or it will roll down the sides and off your platter.

Bake the cake in two 9 inch round cake pans. Cool. With the buttercream icing, pipe an outside rim around the bottom cake layer and fill it with the mint filling. Put the second layer on top and frost with the buttercream icing. Add the ganache as the final touch.

Oatmeal Cake with Coconut Pecan Frosting

 This rich, spice cake reminds me of my Mom and my Nana. The frosting is reminiscent of German chocolate cake, but atop a moist oatmeal cake, it's comfort food, for sure!

OATMEAL CAKE

1 cup quick oats

1 1/2 cups boiling water

1/2 cup butter

1 cup white sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Pour oats into a small bowl and cover with boiling water; set aside. Mix butter and sugars in a large bowl. Add beaten eggs to oats and mix into butter mixture. Mix dry ingredients and add. Mix well. Pour into greased 9 x 13" cake pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until toothpick stuck in the center comes out with moist crumbs. Cool in the pan. Frost with Coconut Pecan frosting. Serves 12.

COCONUT PECAN FROSTING

6 Tbs. butter

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1 /4 cup evaporated milk

1 cup shredded coconut

1/4 tsp. vanilla

1 cup pecans, chopped

Beat together all ingredients, except pecans in a small bowl. Stir in pecans. Frost cake while still slightly warm. Move oven rack to the top or near the top and set oven broiler to low. Broil in oven until coconut is slightly toasted, watching carefully so it does not burn. Cake can be served warm or cooled.  

(Above): This is the frosted cake before it is toasted under the broiler.

Kathy's Coffee Cake

I had a brunch with friends this week, so I made my favorite coffee cake. This recipe comes from family friend Kathy Newton and it is DIVINE! I remember being giddy when Kathy would bring this over at Christmas when I was younger.

Cream together:

       1 cup butter or margarine

       2 cups sugar

       2 eggs

       1 cup sour cream (I use reduced-fat sour cream)

       1 tsp. vanilla

Add:

       2 cups all-purpose flour

       1 tsp. baking powder

       1/2 tsp. salt

Spread half of the batter into a greased tube pan. Sprinkle with half of the topping (Below). Repeat with remaining batter and sprinkle with remaining topping. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 50-60 minutes. Let cool in pan.

Topping: Mix well:

        1/2 cup brown sugar

        2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Cinnamon Roll Cake

I love cinnamon rolls. My Mom and I have always said that if we had a last meal on Earth, they would be part of it. Believe it or not I have found something I love more...this cake. It has all the gooey flavor of a cinnamon roll with a fluffier cake texture, plus it is a lot easier to make than cinnamon rolls (no rolling pin required, yay.) This is great as a dessert but would also work for a breakfast/brunch. 

Cake:

3 c. flour
1/4 tsp.salt
1 c. sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 c. milk
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. butter, melted

Topping:
1 c. butter, softened
1 c. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
1 Tbsp. cinnamon

Mix all the cake ingredients together except for the butter. Slowly stir in the melted butter and pour into a greased 9x13 pan. For the topping, mix all the ingredients together until well combined. Drop evenly over the batter and swirl with a knife. Bake at 350 for 28-32 minutes. 

Glaze:
2 c. powdered sugar
5 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
Pour over cake while still a little warm. 
recipe from Life as a Lofthouse

Apple Cake with Butter Sauce

This is another favorite dessert for cooler weather. I made it yesterday for a baby shower and when I looked up the recipe here.... Gasp!... I hadn't posted it yet! It's full of apples and just tastes like Fall. Recipe from my friend Heather Fenn.

*February, 2012 update: I currently live at 5,290 feet above sea level and I've had better results with this cake when I bake it at 315 degrees F. instead of 325. It still cooks in about the same time, but doesn't brown as quickly and sets nicely in the center. I'd recommend that adjustment, especially if the middle is still wiggly at the end of your baking time :)

Apple Cake

Combine:

     4 cups apples, peeled and chopped

     2 cups sugar

Stir in:

     2 cups all-purpose flour

     1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

     2 tsp. cinnamon

     1 tsp. salt

     1 cup pecans, chopped (optional)

Combine in a separate bowl, then add to the apple mixture:

     2 eggs

     3/4 cup vegetable oil

     2 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.* Pour cake mixture into a greased 9 x 13" pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes, until golden brown and set in the center. Cook the Butter Sauce ingredients in a small saucepan until it comes to a boil and thickens slightly. Sauce will thicken even more while it cools. Serve warm sauce over warm cake. 12 servings.

Butter Sauce:

     1 cup sugar

     1/2 cup butter

     1/2 cup evaporated milk

     1 tsp. vanilla 

Patriotic Bundt Cake

I saw this crafty red-white-and-blue bundt cake idea on Pinterest this past summer, and had to give it a try!  Really quite simple and it was an absolute hit at our 4th of July BBQ.  Our fun-filled summer left very little time for blogging, so I thought the 10 year anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the WTC and Pentagon would be a fitting time to remember the stars and stripes!  

**Begin with any white cake recipe, prepared as directed, separated into three bowls.  Add red and blue food coloring as desired to two of the bowls, leaving the remaining batter white.  Grease and flour your bundt pan well, then add alternating globs of each different colored batter.  Do not swirl or mix, as this will make your cake pink, dark pink and purple instead of red, white and blue!  Bake as directed.

Repeat the same food-coloring process with three bowls of your favorite buttercream frosting, but add a teaspoon of milk to each to thin the frosting to drizzle-consistency.  Use the grooves of your bundt cake to alternate each color and cover entire cake with patriotic yumminess.  God bless the USA! 

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

If you are anything like my kids, you just read the title to this recipe and thought "Ewww, gross!" But the reality is that this cake is yummy good and you will never know that the zucchini is in there. It just makes the cake super moist, like with Banana Bread or Applesauce Chocolate Chip Cookies. Either way, it is a great way to use up some of that zucchini that I have coming out of my ears every August. Hope you enjoy!

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter- softened

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup buttermilk

2 1/2 cups flour

1/2 tsp. allspice

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking soda

4 Tbs. Cocoa powder

2 cups grated zucchini

1 cup chocolate chips

Cream together butter and sugars. Add oil, eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk and mix well. (Remember, if you don't have buttermilk on hand, you can just mix 1/2 tsp. lemon juice into 1/2 cup regular milk and let it sit for a few minutes before adding it to your recipe!) In another bowl, combine dry ingredients and then add slowly to your liquid mixture. Stir just until combined. Fold in your grated zucchini and then pour the batter into a greased 9x13 inch cake pan. Sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over the batter. Bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

***Grating zucchini is pretty messy, so I like to wait until I have 3-4 big ones and grate them all at once. Then just scoop 2 cup- sized portions into little Ziplock freezer bags. Pop them in the freezer and you can have fresh zucchini for recipes all year! Think how good this cake would taste in December or how nice it would be to bake a loaf of hot Zucchini Bread in the winter. Yum!

***I was getting ready to post this, and I linked the recipe under desserts and vegetables. It made me smile :)

White Cupcakes with Vanilla Almond Frosting

I made these for a baby shower this week and had several requests for the recipe so here it is. They are yummy for sure! 

White Cupcakes

1 box white cake mix

1 c. flour

1 c. sugar

3/4 tsp. salt

4 egg whites
1 1/3 c. water
2 Tbs. vegetable oil

1 c. sour cream (I use light)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. almond extract

whisk together dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients and beat until smooth. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full and cook according to box directions. Watch carefully towards the end so they don't get too brown.

Makes 30-34 cupcakes
cake recipe from our best bites

Vanilla Almond Frosting

1 c. unsalted butter, softened 

3-4 c. powdered sugar

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. pure almond extract 

1/4 c. milk

*If you like stronger almond flavor use 1 tsp. each of vanilla and almond extracts

Cream butter with mixer. Beat in milk, extracts and 3 cups powdered sugar. Add powdered sugar until you reach your desired consistency.

Old Fashioned Chocolate Layer Cake

I made this cake for my husband for his Birthday and can I just say it is divine!!! It's a little more work than your average chocolate cake but it's definitely worth the extra effort.

*from Cooks Illustrated Best Recipes Issue 

12 Tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, very soft, plus extra for greasing pans

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting pans

4 oz unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup dutch-processed cocoa powder

1/2 cup hot water

1 3/4 C sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon table salt

1 cup buttermilk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 large eggs, plus 2 large egg yolks

Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat to 350 degrees.  Grease two 9-inch round by 2 inch high cake pans with butter; dust pans with flour and knock out excess.  Combine chocolate, cocoa powder, and hot water in medium heatproof bowl; set bowl over saucepan containing 1 inch of simmering water and stir with rubber spatula until chocolate ins melted, about 2 minutes.  Add 1/2 cup sugar to chocolate and stir until glossy, 1-2 minutes.  Remove bowl from heat and set aside to cool.

Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl.  Combine buttermilk and vanilla in small bowl.  In bowl of stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whisk eggs and yolks on medium-low speed until combined, about 10 seconds.  Add remaining 1 1/4 C sugar, increase speed to high, and whisk until fluffy and lightened in color, 2-3 minutes.  Replace whisk with paddle attachment.  Add cooled chocolate mixture to egg/sugar mixture and mix on medium speed until thoroughly incorporated, 30-45 seconds, pausing to scrape down sides of bowl with rubber spatula as needed.  Add softened butter 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing about 10 seconds after each addition.  Add about 1/3 of flour mixture; followed by half of buttermilk mixture mixing until incorporated after each addition (about 15 seconds.)   Repeat using half of remaining flour mixture and all of remaining buttermilk mixture (batter may appear separated.) Scrape down sides of bowl and add remaining flour mixture; mix at medium low speed until batter is thoroughly combined, about 15 seconds.  Remove bowl from mixer and fold batter once or twice with rubber spatula to incorporate any remaining flour.  Divide batter evenly between prepared cake pans; smooth batter to edges of pan with spatula.

Bake cakes until toothpick inserted into center comes out with a few crumbs attached, 25-30minutes.  Cool cakes in pans 15 minutes, then invert onto wire rack.  Cool cakes to room temperature before frosting, 45-60 minutes.

Frosting... 

Note: Don’t make the frosting until the cakes are cooled, and use the frosting as soon as it is ready.  If the frosting gets too stiff to spread easily, wrap the mixer bowl with a towel soaked in hot water and mix on low speed until the frosting is creamy and smooth.  Refrigerated leftover cake should sit at room temperature before serving until the frosting softens.

16 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped (chocolate chips work)

8 Tbs (1 stick) unsalted butter

1/3 cup granulated sugar

2 Tbs corn syrup

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp table salt

1 1/4 cups cold heavy cream

Melt Chocolate in heatproof bowl set over a saucepan containing 1 inch of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth.  Remove from heat and set aside.  Meanwhile, heat butter in small saucepan over medium-low heat until melted.  Increase heat to medium; add sugar, corn syrup, vanilla, and salt and stir with heatproof rubber spatula until sugar is dissolved, 4-5 minutes.  Add melted chocolate, butter mixture, and cream to clean bowl of stand mixer and stir to thoroughly combine.

Place mixer bowl over ice bath and stir mixture constantly with rubber spatula until frosting is thick and just beginning to harden against sides of bowl, 1-2 minutes (frosting should be 70 degrees).  Place bowl on stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment and beat on medium-high speed until frosting is light and fluffy, 1-2 minutes.  Stir with rubber spatula until completely smooth.  *If you find after beating, your frosting is still too soft for your liking, try chilling in the fridge until it sets up a little more.

Grandma Em's Spice Cake Frosting

**This dreamy panoche frosting is another favorite recipe from Jules. This was her Grandma Emma Rae Ashton's signature dessert, and I get rave reviews every time I serve it.

1/2 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 3/4- 2 cups powdered sugar

Melt butter & add brown sugar in medium saucepan. Boil over medium heat for two minutes, stirring constantly. Add milk and stir until mixture returns to a full boil. Cool to lukewarm. Add powdered sugar gradually until frosting is desired consistency. If frosting becomes too stiff, add a few drops of milk to thin.

Pour or spread over spice cake (baked according to package directions and cooled) while frosting is still fresh.

Pineapple Ice Box Cake

So easy. So delicious.

1 package yellow cake mix

1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk

1 large can crushed pineapple

1 carton Cool whip or 1-2 pints whipped cream

Bake cake according to package directions, using a 9x13 pan. After removing the cake from the oven, immediately poke the cake all over with a fork. Pour condensed milk over the cake and spread evenly. Allow to absorbed for 3-5 minutes and then pour pineapple and juice over the cake and spread out to cover completely. Allow the cake to cool and then refrigerate until chilled completely, approximately 2-3 hours. Whip up the cream and sweeten to taste with a little powdered sugar. Spread the whipped cream evenly over the cake and refrigerate until ready to serve.

"Better than sex cake"

Is it or isn't it... I will let you decide :)

1 pkg. Devil's food or German Chocolate cake mix
1 can sweetened condensed milk
6 oz. caramel topping
1 8 oz. container whipped topping
Heath toffee bits or crushed Heath bar

Bake cake according to package directions. Use the handle of a wooden spoon to poke holes in the cake. Pour the condensed milk and caramel over the top of cake. Allow cake to cool completely then top with whipped topping and Heath bits. I like to refrigerate the cake a couple hours before serving but you can eat it right away too. 

18 Minute Chocolate Cake

This is another recipe I have, written in my 5th grade handwriting, that I copied from my Mom's recipe file. I love it because it's fast, almost as easy as a boxed chocolate cake, but so much tastier!

CHOCOLATE CAKE:

1. Mix together in a large bowl:

     2 cups flour

     2 cups sugar

     4 Tbs. cocoa powder

     1 tsp. baking soda

     1/2 tsp salt

2. Mix together, then add to dry ingredients:

     1/2 cup butter, melted

     1/2 cup vegetable oil

     1 cup water

3. Beat in:

     1/2 cup buttermilk (I use almost 1/2 cup milk + 1 tsp. white vinegar)

     2 eggs

     1 tsp. vanilla

Pour into a greased and floured 9 x 13" cake pan (or jelly roll pan or 24 cupcake tins). Bake at 400° F. for 18 minutes, or until middle is set. Cupcakes take only about 12-14 minutes. Cool completely on a baking rack, then frost with chocolate frosting:

CHOCOLATE FROSTING:

     3 Tbs. cocoa powder

     1/4 cup butter, softened

     2 cups powdered sugar

     1/2 tsp. vanilla

     milk

Combine the first 4 ingredients with an electric mixer. Add milk a little at a time until the right consistency is achieved. Spread on cooled cake.

Super Moist Chocolate Cake

My construction loving 4 year old requested a truck cake for his birthday. He was very specific that it should be chocolate cake with orange frosting and green letters. I didn't have a chocolate cake mix on hand, but I found this recipe in the "Keeping Up Cookbook" and it was fabulous.

2 cups flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1/2 cup butter- softened

2 cups sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

2 cups boiling water

2 eggs

Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl and set aside. In another bowl, cream together butter, sugar, and vanilla. Mix in the boiling water and then add the eggs and beat until well combined. Gradually add dry ingredients and mix well. Pour into a greased and floured 9x13 cake pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

I am positive that we have posted our favorite frosting recipe already, but I will include it for yourconvenience. If you are looking for a great tasting basic buttercream, this is your recipe.

1/2 cup (one cube) butter- softened

4 cups (a one pound bag is perfect) powdered sugar

1/4 cup milk

1 tsp. vanilla

Beat together butter and powdered sugar until the butter is well incorporated. Add milk and vanilla and beat well. At this point, you can add a little more milk if the frosting seems too thick and color as desired.

Apple Torte with Lemon Sauce

Apple Torte:

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup butter

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup flour

1 tsp. soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

2 cups chopped apple (peeled)

1/2 cup chopped nuts

Cream butter and sugar. beat in egg and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and beat together. Stir in apples and nuts. Pour into a greased 9x9 pan and bake 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Serve warm with lemon sauce and whipped cream.

Lemon sauce:

     1 cup sugar

     2 Tbs. cornstarch

     2 cups water

     dash salt

     dash nutmeg

Combine in a saucepan and cook, stirring until think and bubbly. Remove from heat and add:

     3 Tbs. lemon juice

     3 Tbs. butter

Cranberry Bundt Cake with Warm Butter Sauce

Tis the season for cranberries! Yum!

           4 1/2 Tbs. butter, melted

           1 1/2 cups sugar

           4 1/2 tsp. baking powder

           1 1/2 tsp. salt

           3 cups all-purpose flour

           1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk (1 1/2 cups)

           3 cups whole fresh cranberries, thawed if frozen

Preheat oven to 350° F. Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl. In a medium bowl, mix baking powder, salt and flour. Add alternately the flour mixture and the evaporated milk into the butter mixture until blended. Fold in the cranberries. Spoon into a greased and floured Bundt pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned and center is set. Jiggle the pan to check. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then run a knife along the edges of the pan and invert onto a serving plate. Top each slice with Warm Butter Sauce and serve. Serves 12-14.

Warm Butter Sauce:

          1 cup sugar

          1/2 cup butter

          1 cup whipping cream

          1 tsp. vanilla

          Pinch salt

Cook together in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently for 10-15 minutes.  

Oatmeal Cake

One of our favorite desserts! 

*from Nancy Miller

Cake:
1 c. quick oats- cover with water and set aside
1/2 c. butter
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. sugar
2 eggs, beaten together
1 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt

Directions: Combine eggs, oatmeal mixture then remaining ingredients. Bake in a 9 x 13 pan at 350 for 30-35 minutes. top with topping...

Topping:
1/4 c. brown sugar
6 Tbs. butter
1/4 c. evaporated milk or light cream
1 c. shredded coconut
1/4 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. sugar
1 c. chopped nuts (optional)

Beat until soft, stir in nuts and spread over cake then broil in oven until light brown.

Hot Fudge Sundae Cake

This rich warm dessert is sure to cure your chocolate cravings!

Preheat oven to 350° F. Mix in a small bowl:

          3/4 cup flour

          2/3 cup white sugar

          1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

          1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

          1/2 tsp. salt

          1/2 cup milk

          3 Tbs. vegetable oil

• 
  

Spread in an ungreased 8 x 8" square pan. Sprinkle over the top:

          2/3 cup brown sugar

          1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

          1/4 cup chocolate chips

Mix in a measuring cup and pour over the top of the dessert.  Do NOT stir:

          1 1/4 cups hot water

          1 tsp. vanilla

          

Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until top looks dry. Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream. Makes 6-8 servings.

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.