Ridiculously good Pumpkin Cake with Brown Butter Icing

This has become a Thanksgiving staple for us over the past few years. (Um... also other times of the year... because I can't get enough...) It's so good it's ridiculous.

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan

1 2/3 cups flour, plus more for pan

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

1 cup Pumpkin Puree

1/2 cup milk

Brown Butter Icing



Directions

1.Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-2-inch round cake pan. Coat pan with flour, and tap out any excess.

2.In a large bowl, sift together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, salt, baking powder, and baking soda; set aside.

3. Beat sugar and butter together until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, and beat until combined. Add pumpkin puree and milk; beat until combined. Add reserved flour mixture; beat on low speed until just combined.

4. Bake about 55 minutes. Transfer the cake to a wire rack to cool. Let cake rest 20 minutes.

5. Let cake rest about 20 minutes and then ice.
 
I believe this is basically a Martha Stewart recipe.

S'mores Bars

TRUST me when I tell you these are better than you'd think. Quite a crowd favorite. For sure best when right out of the oven, and way better than you'd think for how easy they are. They are UN. BE. LIEVABLE.


1 pouch sugar cookie mix

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

1 cup butter or margarine, melted

1 bag chocolate chips

4 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows

1.
Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, stir together cookie mix and crumbs. Stir in melted butter until soft dough forms. Press into ungreased 13x9-inch pan.
2.
Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until set. Immediately sprinkle chocolate chips over crust. Let stand 3 to 5 minutes or until chocolate begins to melt. Spread chocolate evenly over crust.
3.
Set oven control to broil. Sprinkle marshmallows over melted chocolate. Broil with top 4 to 5 inches from heat 20 to 30 seconds or until marshmallows are toasted. (Watch closely; marshmallows will brown quickly.) Cool 10 minutes. For bars, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows. Serve warm. Store any remaining bars tightly covered.

Simple White Cupcakes (and Icing)

Since cupcakes are my favorite treat, I have a rule that in our house we never use cake mix or store-bought icing. These are my very favorite (and very easy!) recipes:

Ingredients:
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup milk

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x9 inch pan or line a muffin pan with paper liners.

2. In a medium bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine flour and baking powder, add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Finally stir in the milk until batter is smooth. You can add more milk to make the cake lighter (I usually add an extra splash or two.) Beat REALLY well each time- turns out SOOO light and fluffy. Pour or spoon batter into the prepared pan.

3. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven. For cupcakes, bake 20 to 25 minutes. Cake is done when it springs back to the touch. Makes 18 cupcakes.

ICING (Wilton recipe)
1/4 C vegetable shortening
1/4 C butter
2 C confectioner's sugar
2 Tbl milk
1 tsp vanilla

Blend!!

Tres Leches Cake (to go with Chile Relleno)

And the big dessert!

French Vanilla Cake Mix
1/4 can evaporated milk (half of the can left over from making the Chile Relleno)
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. almond extract
For whipped cream topping:
1 pint heavy whipping cream
1 cup sugar
1 Tbl vanilla extract

Bake the cake as directed, let cool 20 minutes, and poke millions of holes and gashes in it. It can be ugly because you're covering it with whipped cream. Whisk first four ingredients together and pour over cake, really soaking it into the holes and gashes. Best if you saran-wrap tightly and refrigerate overnight because then it really gels together, but not necessary. Right before serving, whip up the last three ingredients until fluffy and frost cake. YUM!!!

Lemon Puff Custard

This has been my favorite dessert of all time, since I was a little kid. The crazy thing about these is that the bottom half stays custard and the top half turns into cake. It is very unusual and delicious!

Lemon Puff Custard

3 1/2 T Flour
2/3 C Sugar
2 T Sweet (unsalted) butter
2 eggs, separated
3 T Fresh lemon juice
2/3 C Milk

Combine flour and sugar; add to creamed butter. Stir in beaten egg yolks, lemon juice, and milk. Beat egg whites until stiff. Fold egg yolk mixture lightly but thoroughly into egg whites. Fill glass custard cups 2/3 full and set in shallow pan filled with enough hot water to come almost to the tops of the cups. Bake for 35 minutes at 325 or until custard tests done. Serves 4.