Pumpkin Cake and Other Fall Goodies

In north Louisiana, where I grew up, we share recipes readily. This delicious one, for Pumpkin Cake, was one that my mother, Ruth Lelong, used to make around the holidays. In fact, she submitted it to the 1971 edition of Country Cookin' - Receipts Compiled by the Riverdale Academy Booster's Club so that others could enjoy this delicious treat. It can be served at any fall or winter holiday celebration.

2 1/4 cup cake flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon soda
1 1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup butter
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg and 2 egg yolks
3/4 cup buttermilk or sour cream
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Measure flour, add baking powder, salt, soda and spices; mix together and set aside.
Cream butter.
Add sugar gradually and cream well.
Add egg and egg yolks, one at a time, beating until light.
Add flour mixture, alternately with buttermilk or sour cream, in small amounts.
After each addition, beat until smooth.
Add pumpkin and nuts.
Mix well.
Bake in 9 X 13 inch greased pan in oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until done, using the toothpick test.
Let it cool and either turn it out onto a cookie sheet or just leave it in the pan and frost it.

Frost with plain Vanilla butter frosting. (You may add 1/2 cup chopped nuts to frosting if desired.)

Vanilla Butter Frosting

1/2 cup soft butter or margarine
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
About 2 Tablespoons milk

Blend butter and sugar.
Stir in vanilla and milk; beat until frosting is smooth and of spreading consistency.

Today, you can get some pretty tasty ready made icings at the grocery. The cream cheese one goes really well with this cake.

You'll love these tasty muffins that are good for breakfast, dinner or dessert.

1 1/2 cups All-purpose Flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 egg
1/2 cup raisins or chopped nuts (optional, we like the nuts only)

Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
Grease bottoms of 12 medium muffin cups (2 3/4 inches in diameter).
Mix all ingredients just until flour is moistened. Batter should be lumpy.
Fill muffin cups 2/3 full.
Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon sugar over batter in each cup.
Bake 18 to 20 minutes.
Immediately remove from pan.

Makes 12 muffins.

You must have an apron when you bake or cook, so why not cook in style with these unique designs by cooltees and digiscrapthat?

These Yummy little treats are perfect for a childrens party and are simple enough for the kids to help prepare. The recipe is one of the boo-lishous ones in Wormy Apple Croissants and other Halloween Recipes by Brekka Hervey Larrew.

1 package yellow cake mix
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 (16-ounce) can cream cheese frosting
2 drops orange food coloring
1 tube of black decorating icing or candy corn

1. Pup cupcake liners into a muffin pan.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine cake mix, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir together with a rubber scraper.
3. Add evaporated milk and canned pumpkin to bowl.
4. Add eggs and vegetable oil to bowl. Combine ingredients together with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes.
4. Spoon the batter into baking cups, filling each 2/3 full.
Bake for 25-30 minutes.
6. Use an oven mitt or pot holder to remove the cupcakes from the oven and cool for 20 minutes.
7. In a small bowl, mix frosting and food coloring with the rubber scraper.
8. Use the same scraper to frost each cupcake.
Decorate with black icing, raisins or candy corn to form eyes, a nose, and a mouth on each jack-o-lantern.

Here's the perfect invitation to send to all the little ghosts and goblins for your Halloween or Harvest party this fall.


Pumpkins Postcard Invitation by chatao

These yummy cookies are great for Halloween or anytime and all the little ghosts and goblins will love them. The recipe comes from one of my favorite cookbooks, Betty Crocker's Cooky Book.

1 1/2 cups brown sugar (packed)
1/2 cup shortening
2 eggs
1 2/4 cups canned pumpkin
2 3/4 cups All-purpose Flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1 cup raisins (we leave these out)
1 cup chopped pecans

Heat oven to 400 degrees F (moderate hot).
Mix sugar, shortening, eggs and pumpkin thoroughly.
Measure flour by dipping method or by sifting.
Blend dry ingredients; add to pumpkin mixture, stirring until well blended.
Add raisins and pecans.
Drop batter by teaspoonfuls on ungreased baking sheet.
Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
Cookies may be iced when cool with a thin butter icing.

Makes about 6 dozen cookies.

PUMPKIN CORN & FRUIT by dgpaulart

This delicious and easy to make recipe for Hearty Pumpkin Soup came from Deanna F. Cook's, Kids' Pumpkin Projects Planting & Harvest Fun. It's written with younger cooks in mind.

1 medium-sized pumpkin
4 cups (1 liter) chicken broth
1/4 cup (50 ml) maple syrup
1 Tablespoon (15 ml) butter or margarine
1/2 teaspoon (2 ml) cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon (2 ml) nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon (2 ml) salt

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Slice the pumpkin in half and scoop out the seeds. Place the halves cut-side down on a buttered cookie sheet. Bake for 1 hour.
2. Use a big metal spoon to scoop out the pumpkin flesh. Then, mash the flesh with a potato masher.
3. In a heavy saucepan, combine the pumpkin with the rest of the ingredients. Warm over low heat, stirring occasionally.

Serves 6 to 8 kids a hot, hearty meal.

Other types of winter squash can also be used instead of pumpkin to make a delicious, hearty soup.