Pumpkin Time!!

I have been in the mood for pumpkin lately and found this recipe on Amber's blog. I had all the ingredients except the pumpkin, so I made a special trip to the store to get me some pumpkin!! Jason loves to lick the bowl of any batter I make so I wanted to catch him in action!

Pumpkin Sheet Cake w/ Cream Cheese Frosting

Cake:

4 eggs

1-1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup applesauce

2 cups of pumpkin

2 cups AP flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

Icing:

1 - 8oz package cream cheese, softened

1 cup sifted powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Using an electric mixer at medium speed, combine the eggs, sugar, oil, apple sauce and pumpkin until light and fluffy. Stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and mix at low speed until thoroughly combined and the batter is smooth. Spread the batter into a greased 13x10" baking pan (I did use the 13x9 baking dish, just left it in the over for 10 minutes longer) Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting.

To make the icing: Using an electric mixer in a medium bowl, beat cream cheese until smoother. Add the sugar and mix at low speed until combined. Stir in the vanilla and mix again. Spread on cooled cake.

(this picture is taken at work...got the heavy equipment in the backgroud...haha)

Mountain Dew Cake

One of our favorite drinks in our household is Mt. Dew and mine being Diet Mt. Dew. When I saw this cake in an old magazine of Paula Deans I HAD to make it for hubby. So that my source being Mrs. Paula Deen July/August 2007 issue of her mag.

Ingredients

1 (18.25 oz) box lemon cake mix

1 (3.4 oz) box lemon flavored instant pudding mix

1 (12 oz) can Mountain Dew

3/4 c. Vegetable Oil

4 large eggs

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

Lightly grease and flour a 10-cup bundt pan

In a large mixing bowl, combine cake mix and pudding mix.

Add soda, oil and eggs. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth.

Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Let cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool completely on a wire rack.

SATC Sexy Cupcakes

These Cupcakes are from none other than the Magnolia Bakery that the SATC (Sex and the City) girls ate in Season 3 a NYC landmark. I was lucky enough to be able to make these at work for the guys and b/c our salesman had sold his first machines, and I told him I would bake him cupcakes. So I thought I would try these...and it goes as follows....

Cupcakes

1 1/2 c. self-rising flour

1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour

1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

2 c. sugar

4 large eggs, at room temperature

1 c. milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake papers. In a small bowl combine flours and set aside.

In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the dry ingredients in three parts alternating with milk and vanilla. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated but do not over-beat Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl to make sure the ingredients are well blended. Carefully spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about three-quarters full. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean.

Icing

1 c (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

6-8 c confectioners sugar

1/2 c milk

2 tsp. vanilla extract

Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of the sugar and then the milk and vanilla. On the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy, about 3-5 minutes. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition (about 2 minutes), until the icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency. You may not need all of the sugar. If desired add a few drops of food coloring and mix thoroughly. (I used yellow) (Use and store icing at room temperature because icing will set if chilled.) Icing can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.