Pumpkin Upside-Down Cake

Pumpkin Upside-Down Cake

serves 18-24

-----------------------------

3 eggs

2 (16 oz) cans pumpkin -- not pie filling

2/3 cup evaporated milk

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/4 cups sugar

1 box yellow cake mix (not the kind with pudding in the mix)

3/4 cup butter, melted and cooled

1 cup chopped nuts, optional

-----------------------------

Combine eggs, pumpkin, evaporated milk, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, salt, and sugar until well combined. Pour into an ungreased 9x13-inch baking pan.

Sprinkle the dry cake mix over the top of the pumpkin mixture and drizzle with the butter.

Bake 30 minutes. Sprinkle nuts over the top and bake for another 30 minutes.

The cake is more the consistency of pumpkin pie under the topping, so it may seem a bit jiggly when you remove it from the oven, and you can't test its doneness with a toothpick. I think I actually overbaked it a bit in the photo above because I was expecting "cake".

Ho Ho Cake

Ho Ho Cake

serves 16-18

---------------------------------------

1 box chocolate cake mix, mixed as directed on box and baked in two 8-inch round pans

1/2 cup sugar

2/3 cup shortening

1 tsp vanilla

1/3 cup milk

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp water

1 cup powdered sugar

dark chocolate frosting, either made from scratch or canned

--------------------------------------------

When cake is cooled, cut each layer in half so you end up with four layers (dental floss works great for this). Beat sugar, shortening, vanilla, milk, salt, and water for seven minutes.

Add powdered sugar and beat for 5 minutes longer.

Lay one layer of cake on a plate and spread 1/3 of filling on, not quite going to the edge. Repeat with the rest of the layers.

Frost with dark chocolate frosting on top and sides. I use the recipe from the Hershey Special Dark cocoa can with real butter.

Frost with dark chocolate frosting. Store in the refrigerator or the layers will separate.

Oatmeal Extravaganzas

Oatmeal Extravaganzas
yield: 3 dozen cookies

ingredients:
1 cup plus 2 T flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup brown sugar
2 T white sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup peanut butter
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup water
2 cups quick oats
1 cup peanut butter chips
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Combine flour, baking soda, and salt and set aside.

Beat butter, peanut butter, sugars, and vanilla until creamy.

Gradually blend in flour mixture alternately with water.

Stir in oats and chips.

Either spread in a greased 9-inch square baking pan or drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets.

Bake pan 30 minutes or cookie sheets 10-12 minutes until lightly browned.