Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake

Love this really rich Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe

Cheesecake ingredients~

• 1 (18 1/4 ounce) packages spice cake mix
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted
• 4 large eggs
• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 (14 ounce) cans sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg and Ginger

• Topping ingredients~
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1. Place rack in center of oven and preheat to 325 dg. Lightly grease a 13 x 9" baking pan with the softened butter or vegetable shortening. Set the pan aside.
2. Measure out 1/2 C of the cake mix and set aside for the filling.
3. Place remaining cake mix, melted butter and 1 egg in a large mixing bowl. Blend on low for 2 minutes Scrape down the sides of bowl with spatula. Batter should come together in a ball. With your fingertips, pat the batter evenly over the bottom and 1" up the sides of the prepared pan, smoothing it out with your fingers until top is smooth. Set pan aside.
4. For the filling, place the cream cheese and condensed milk in the same mixing bowl used to make the crust and and blend about 30 seconds until combined. Add remaining cake mix, remaining 3 eggs, pumpkin, brown sugar, and spices. Beat on medium for 1 minute then scrape down the sides of the bowl with spatula.
5. Pour the filling onto the crust and spread so that filling covers the entire surface and reaches the sides of the pan.
6. Place the pan in oven and bake until cheesecake looks shiny and center no longer jiggles when you shake the pan, about 40 to 45 minutes Remove pan from oven while you prepare topping. Leave the oven on.
7. For topping, place the sour cream and brown sugar in a small mixing bowl and stir with spoon until well combined. Pour topping over the cheesecake and return pan to the oven.
8. Bake until the topping sets, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool, approximately 30 minutes.
9. Lightly cover the pan with plastic wrap and place the pan in the refrigerator to chill for at least 1 hr., but preferably 24 hours for the flavors to meld. Cut into squares and serve.

Pumpkin Spice Truffles

Recipe source: http://www.kikiverde.com/2015/09/02/pumpkin-spice-truffles-naturally-vegan-gluten-free/

Yields: about 6 dozen

Ingredients

• Filling Ingredients:
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice 
• 4 - 4.5 cups (packed) powdered sugar 
• Chocolate Coating Ingredients:
• 10 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon virgin coconut oil
• Other things you'll need:
• sprinkles
• mini muffin wrappers
• sheet pan lined with parchment paper
• Wilton candy dipping set (this is highly recommended for your sanity, if you don't get one you can use a fork and spoon.)

Instructions

To Make the Filling:

In a large mixing bowl combine the wet ingredients-- the softened butter/butter alternative, pumpkin puree, and corn syrup-- together and mix with a wooden spoon until well-combined.

Add in the tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice and mix well.

Add in the packed powdered sugar a cup at a time, mixing until completely incorporated before adding the next cup. When you get towards the end of mixing in the powdered sugar it becomes dry and easier to fully incorporate everything together by using your hands instead of the wooden spoon. Knead it together until the texture resembles cut-out cookie dough. It should hold together easily and have a slight tackiness to it but not be "sticky" like peanut butter. If it is sticky add the additional 1/2 cup of powdered sugar.

Place the mixture into the refrigerator and chill for at least an hour until firm.

Prepare a large sheet pan by lining it with a sheet of parchment paper. (Make sure the pan fits in your fridge because you will need to chill these again.) Using a teaspoon measure, scoop a mostly level teaspoon of the filling into your hand and roll gently between your palms until you form a ball. (I estimate these are between 3/4 inch - 1 inch round.) Place the filling ball onto the parchment-lined pan and continue until you have used up all the filling. (I end up with around 6 dozen balls.) Place the sheet pan with the filling balls back into the fridge to chill and firm up for another hour before dipping in chocolate.

For the chocolate coating:

In a medium-size bowl, microwave the chocolate chips and 1 tablespoon coconut oil in 30 second increments, stirring well between each, until melted. About 1 minute 30 seconds - 2 minutes. Stir until any lumps are gone.

Remove the tray of filling balls from the fridge just before beginning. You can either dip the chocolates and replace them into the same tray or start a second parchment-lined tray for the chocolate-covered truffles.

Using a fork or the circular shaped Wilton dipping tool, place a ball of truffle filling into the chocolate and roll it around so that it is completely coated in the chocolate. Remove it from the chocolate using the dipping tool, pausing for a few seconds over the bowl (I even tap it on the side of the bowl a bit) to allow excess chocolate to drip back into the bowl, then set onto the parchment-lined baking sheet. (I sort of tip the tool to the side and let the truffle roll off onto the parchment.) Continue until all the balls of filling have been coated. Work quickly so that the chocolate does not 

 cool too much. If you find that it does, you can rewarm it for 15 seconds in the microwave and stir for a few seconds until the chocolate loosens up again. Top with a few sprinkles.

Some tips on the dipping process:

-- The chocolate will remain tacky for a little while, so you can usually do sprinkles after every 3-5 truffles and still have them adhere to the chocolate.

-- If you have a small naked spot where the filling is showing or your tool scuffed the edge of the chocolate you can gently rub the edge of the dipping tool over the chocolate like a paintbrush to fill it in a bit. Do this only when the chocolates are still wet and before adding the sprinkles.

-- If you find your chocolate is pooling a lot at the base of the truffle when you place it on the parchment you are using too much chocolate, let it drip for a little longer over the bowl before placing it onto the parchment.

-- I find that after about 20 minutes the chocolate coating in the dipping bowl becomes viscous and more difficult to dip into. I microwave it for about 15 seconds and stir until it becomes thin and loose again.

Once you have dipped all the chocolates and added the sprinkles, refrigerate the tray of truffles until they firm up, about an hour or so depending on the thickness of the chocolate and your temperature/humidity levels. Once they have firmed up, transfer each truffle to a mini muffin paper and place into a tin or tupperware. Store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. (You can also freeze them for longer-term storage!)

To serve: Bring the truffles up to room temperature for about 20 minutes, then devour! I like to serve them wrapped in their decorative papers on a tray or in a tin.

Baking Pumpkin Bars

Happy Halloween.

Getting Ready to Host a Pumpkin Soap Making Workshop so these will be a little snack for this morning

Quick to put together and I had everything on hand.  

Ingredients

• 4 eggs
• 1-2/3 cups sugar
• 1 cup canola oil
• 1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ICING:
• 6 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 to 2 tablespoons milk

Directions

• 1. In a bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin until well blended. Combine the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt; gradually add to pumpkin mixture and mix well. Pour into an ungreased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until set. Cool completely.
• 2. For icing, beat the cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, butter and vanilla in a small bowl. Add enough milk to achieve spreading consistency. Spread over bars. Store in the refrigerator. Yield: 2 dozen.

Fresh Apple Spice Cake

What to do when someone shares fresh apples from their tree- Make Fresh Apple Spice Cake

Smells Wonderful!! Great with ice cream and caramel sauce


1 cup chopped Walnuts
1/2 cup dark rum
1 cup chopped dates
1 cup white sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed
3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup avocado oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp grated orange zest from 2 oranges
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 1/2 pounds Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and diced into 1/4 inch pieces (3 to 4 apples)
Vanilla Ice cream
Caramel Sauce

Preheat 350 degrees. Grease and Flour 9x13 inch baking pan

Place Walnuts on a baking sheet and toast them for 5 to 10 minutes until lightly toasted. Set aside. Combine the Rum and chopped dates in a small glass bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave for 60 seconds. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, oil, vanilla, and orange zest on medium speed for 3 minutes.  Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves into a medium bowl.  With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the wet mixture, just until combined. Drain the dates, discarding the liquid.  With a rubber spatula, fold in the dates, walnuts, and apples into the batter.  Spread into the prepared pan and smooth the top.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Set aside to cool, cut into squares, and serve warm or at room temperature with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of warm caramel sauce.

This Cake can be made ahead and stored at room temperature for up to 24 hours.

Spiced Apple Cake with Orange Glaze

Was in the Fall Baking Mood yesterday!  After I had spent the afternoon in my studio creating fall things for my booth and an upcoming show, I came home and make this cake for an after school snack! Super moist and full of Fall Spice Flavor!!

Spiced Apple Cake with Orange Glaze

2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg- Fresh Ground
1/4 tsp ground cloves
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup apple butter

For the glaze:
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
orange zest from 1 orange
2 Tbsp fresh orange juice

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Add flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves to a medium bowl. Whisk to combine.

Cream sugar and softened butter in large bowl.  Add eggs, beating thoroughly.  Beat in dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk.  Stir in apple butter.

Pour into a greased 9x5x3-inch loaf pan

Bake in 350°F oven 55 to 65 minutes or until cake tests done.  Cool 10 minutes before removing from pan.

Make orange glaze by combining powdered sugar, orange juice, and orange peel. Spoon glaze over warm cake.

adapted from:  Musselmans

Cranberry Chocolate Cheese Bars

Super Fast and Easy Bars:

Cranberry Chocolate Cheese Bars

1 cup dried cranberries

2 sticks butter- softened

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 1/2 cups oats

2 tsp dried orange peel

2 cups chocolate chips

8 ounces cream cheese- softened

14 ounces sweetened condensed milk

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease 13x 9 inch pan.  

Beat the butter and the brown sugar in a large mixer bowl until creamy.  Gradually beat in the flour, oats and orange peel until crumbly.  Stir in the morsels and dried cranberries; reserve 2 cups mixture.  Press Remaining mixture onto bottom of prepared pan.  

Bake for 15 minutes. Beat cream cheese in small mixer bowl until smooth.  Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk. Pour over hot crust; sprinkle with reserved flour mixture.  Bake for additional 25 to 30 minutes or until center is set.  Cool in pan on wire rack.  Cut into bars.

Violet's pumpkin cake

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1 cup vegetable oil
1 15 ounce can of pumpkin
3 eggs
3 cups sugar
3 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg

Whipped cream


Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Grease and flour a 10 inch bundt pan. In a large bowl, add the vegetable oil, pumpkin and eggs. Blend well. Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl and mix until well blended. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 60 to 75 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and turn out onto a plate. Cover with plastic wrap until cool to hold in the moisture. When cool serve with whip cream.