Charlotte’s Kitchen

Archive for the ‘Cake’ Category

I know everyone has had it with sweets and now that the holidays are over it’s time to buckle down, eat right, maybe lose some weight.  Who knows what each of us needs or wants to do.  I know for me it’s time to get back to normal.  We did pretty good this with not eating too much of the wrong things so I’m not to concerned.  However, I won’t be  posting anymore sweets for a while but I just had to share this one last recipe.

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Here’s a tasty coffee cake that makes a great way start your day.  This one would be perfect for Christmas or New Years morning. Read the rest of this entry »

Ingredients:

3/4      cup all purpose flour

1 1/2   t pumpkin pie spice

1          t Watkins Baking Powder

1/4      t salt

3          eggs

1          cup granulated sugar

3/4      cup canned pumpkin

1/2      cup of an 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened

1/2      cup confectioner’s sugar

1          recipe Chocolate Cream Icing

Pumpkin Pie Spice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease bottoms and sides of two 8×1x1 1/2 inch round cake pans. Line bottoms with waxed paper; lightly flour pans. In bowl combine flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder and salt; set aside.

In a second bowl beat eggs and sugar with an electric mixer on medium to high speed until thick, about 5 minutes. Beat in pumpkin. Add flour mixture; beat just until combined. Spread cake batter in prepared pans. Bake 16 to 18 minutes or until wooden pick inserted near centers comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack 10 minutes; remove and cool thoroughly.

For filling, in chilled mixing bowl beat whipping cream to soft peaks; set aside. In a second mixing bowl beat cream cheese until smooth; beat in confectioner’s sugar. Fold in whipped cream. To assemble, place one cake layer on serving platter. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over bottom cake layer. Top with second cake layer. Refrigerate while preapring Chocolate Cream Icing.

If Chocolate Cream Icing is too thin, cover and chill 30 minutes until of spreading consistency. Too thick, add a teaspoon of milk or cream. Spread over top and sides of cake. Sprinkly lightly with pumplin pie spice. Chill cake at least 1 hour before serving.

Store cake, loosely covered, in refrigerator.

Makes 8 servings.

Chocolate Cream Icing

Ingredients:

1/2      cup whipping cream

1          cup bittrsweet or semisweet chocolate pieces

Directions:

In small saucepan bring whipping cream just to boiling over medium-high heat. Remove from heat. Pour over chocolate pieces in medium bowl (do not stir). Let stand 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. Cool 15 minutes.

Makes 1 1/4 cups

Tip: The secret to glossy, crumb-free icing is to start by laying a good-sized dollop on top of the cake, then spread outward to the uniced part of the cake. Never backtrack from dry to iced. Best tool for the job: an offset spatula.

Ingredients:

1 1/4    cups Gingersnap cookie crumbs

6           T butter (melted)

3-         8 ounce packages cream cheese, softened

1 1/2     t Watkins Pumpkin Pie Spice

3/4        cup sugar

1            t vanilla

3            eggs

Directions:

Mix crumbs and butter; press onto bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. In bowl, beat cream cheese, spice, sugar and vanilla with an electric mixer on medium until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, and mix well. Pour over crust and bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour until center is almost set. Chill overnight before removing from pan.

Topping:

Ingredients:

12 ounce fresh or frozen cranberrises

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups orange juice

2 T corn starch

Directons:

Combine cranberries, sugar, orange juice and corn starch. Stir over medium heat until cranberries soften. Cool sauce and spoon over cheesecake to serve.

Ingredients:

1        plain spice cake (18.25 ounce)

1        (3.4 ounce) vanilla instant pudding mix

1        cup pumpkin, canned or fresh mashed

1/2    cup oil (canola)

1/2    cup water

3        large eggs

1        teaspoon Watkins Cinnamon

1/2    teaspoon Watkins Ginger

1/2    teaspoon Watkins Nutmeg, optional

1/2    cup pecans, toasted, optional

Directions:

Mix as for cake mix and bake at 350 degrees in a 13 x 9 pan for 32 to 35 minutes.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1        8 ounce cream cheese

1        stick (8 tablespoons butter softened and room temperature)

3        cups 10 x sugar

1        teaspoon Watkins Vanilla

Directions:

Mix and frost cake.