Category: Sweets – Cakes

Very moist pumpkin spice cake.  First tried for Thankgiving Dinner, 2007

Ingredients:
3 c flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
¼  tsp ground clove
1¾  tsp ground allspice
1 tsp salt
½  tsp ground nutmeg
—
1½  c sugar
1 c (packed) golden brown sugar
1 c butter (melted)
—
5 large eggs (at altitutde; 4 at sea level)
29 oz. pumpkin
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp grated orange peel
¾ c raisins (optional)
¾ c sweetened flaked coconut, plus extra for garnish (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Butter a 9×13 pan.
3. Sift flour and spices into a medium bowl.
4. Beat both sugars and oil into a large bowl until combined into a grainy mixture.
5. Add eggs one at a time, beating until well blended after each addition.
6. Add pumpkin, vanilla, orange peel, and beat until well blended.
7. Add flour mixture, and beat until just incorporated.
8. (Optional) Stir in raisins and coconut.
9. Pour into pan; bake for about 1 hour (when tester inserted into center comes out clean).
10. After cool, top with a frosting.

This cake comes out incredibly moist — it almost seams undercooked, but it’s not.  It can be made a day ahead of time, covered and refrigerated; let stand at room temp an hour before serving.

Variations:  This recipe is originally designed as a layer cake — using 15 oz. of pumpkin, and putting into two 9″ cake pans.  Originally set to use 2 tsp ginger instead of cloves, and canola oil instead of butter.

Source:  Bon Appetit, 10/2007

Worlds easiest cake. Yummy too! To adjust for sea level reduce the eggs to 2.

Ingredients:
3 Eggs
1 can Cherry Pie Filling (21 oz)
1 teaspoon Almond Extract
1 pkg Chocolate Cake Mix
1 cup Chocolate Chips (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Spray 9×13 pan with Pam or other non-stick spray.
2. Beat Eggs lightly in a large bowl. Add Pie Filling and Almond Extract. Stir until well mixed.
3. Stir in Cake Mix until just moist. Stir in Chocolate Chips.
4. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until tester comes out clean, about 35 minutes.
5. Cool cake completely in pan.

Frosting:
2 cups Chocolate Chips
½ cup Half and Half
Heat in microwave for 1 minute. Stir until smooth. Spread on cake.

Note: I do not adjust the temperature when using convection, but I do reduce the time and start checking after 30 minutes.

Serves: 20

Prep time: 0:45

Source: The Cake Doctor

A rich chocolate cake that doesn’t mind the altitude here. Not only that, but you can make it without getting the electric mixer out.

Ingredients:

1 cup, (2 sticks) Butter
8 ounces Semisweet Chocolate Chips, about 1½ cups
1¼ cups Sugar
1 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder, sifted
6 Eggs
2 teaspoons Vanilla
12 ounces White Chocolate Chips
1 cup Heavy Cream
Powdered Sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Butter a 10-inch springform pan. Line the bottom with waxed paper.
2. Melt Butter in a small bowl in the microwave, about 2 minutes. Add Chocolate Chips and stir until melted. Returning mixture to microwave for another 30 seconds if needed. Set aside to cool.
3. In a large bowl mix Sugar and Cocoa Powder. Add Eggs and whisk until well blended. Whisk in butter mixture and Vanilla.
4. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until tester comes out clean, about 45 minutes.
5. Cool cake completely in pan on a rack. Loosen side with a knife and invert onto serving plate. Chill.
6. To make Ganache, melt White Chocolate and Cream in the microwave, about 3 minutes. Let cool until thick. Pour 1/3 over chilled cake spreading as needed to insure coverage and a smooth surface. Chill the cake again for 15 minutes. Slowly drizzle the remaining ganache over the cake to create a smooth even coat. Before serving dust with Powdered Sugar.

Serve with a handful of raspberries or other fruit.

Note: I do not adjust the temperature when using convection, but I do reduce the time and start checking after 35 minutes.
Serves: 10-12
Prep time: 1:30
Source Cake: R.S.V.P. Los Olivos Cafe & Wine Merchant, Los Olivos, CA, via Bon Appetit.

Sour Cream makes this a marvelously moist cake. It is a good background for almost any addition. For a special treat serve it with a selection of toppings, like ice cream, fudge sauce, or fresh peaches.

This recipe is for high altitude baking, 5,200 feet. Sea level bakers may want to increase the Baking Powder to ¼ tsp and the Baking Soda to 1/8 tsp.

Ingredients:

½ cup Butter – room temperature
1 cup Sugar
3 Eggs – room temperature
½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
¼ teaspoon Almond Extract
3/8 teaspoon Baking Powder
1 pinch Baking Soda
1½ cups Flour
½ cup Sour Cream, Light – room temperature

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325.
2. Grease and flour loaf pan.
3. With an electric mixer, beat Butter until smooth. Add Sugar and mix on high until light and fluffy. This takes longer than you think, at least 5 minutes.
4. Add Vanilla and Almond Extract. Add Eggs one at a time. Beat thoroughly after each egg. Scrape the bowl down after each addition.
5. Add Baking Powder and Baking Soda. Add Flour and Sour Cream. Beat on low until just combined.
6. Pour into loaf pan and bake 60 minutes, (50 minutes convection) and check with toothpick. Continue baking until toothpick comes out clean.
7. Cool on a rack about 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely.

Note: You can make a marbled cake by holding back 1/3 of the batter and stir in ~¼ chocolate syrup or other flavoring. Pour on top of light batter and marble with a knife.

Serves: 10-12
Prep time:1:20
Source: Modified from Better Homes and Garden – New Cook Book