Pumpkin Recipes - Helen's Pumpkin Spice Bars

Have pumpkin, will bake.

Pumpkin Spice Bars

(A good way to use pumpkin - or any winter squash- from the kitchen of Helen E., who brought this nice sheet cake to the Genesee County Herb Society's refreshment table many years ago, and gave me the recipe.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease a jelly roll pan (15X10X1").

Beat 'wet' ingredients in a large bowl:
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil (safflower or sunflower)
2 cups pumpkin

Add 1/2 cup raisins. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, sift together 'dry' ingredients:
2 cups flour
2 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
3/4 t. salt
2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. ginger
1/4 t. cloves

Beat dry ingredients into wet. pour batter into pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes.
When thoroughly cooled, frost with cream cheese frosting (recipe follows) and sprinkle with 1 cup of chopped walnuts. Cut 4 X 8 = 32 2" x2" bars. Leftovers should be refrigerated.

NOTE: in this case, cutting the oil with half applesauce (to reduce the cholesterol and the cost) doesn't seem to change the texture enough to dismiss the idea.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Blend:
1 3-oz pkg. Philly cream cheese, softened
1 Tbsp. milk
1 t. vanilla extract
a dash of salt

Gradually stir in, then beat until smooth and spreadable, thinning if necessary with more milk:
2 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar

Dealing with the Plethora, IV

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

This recipe is my adaptation of a recipe in the G.M. Girl's Club Cookbook. It is probably best to use a stand mixer to put this one together.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Grease (well) and flour a Bundt pan, or a 9x13" cake pan.

Cream together in large bowl:
3/4 cup margarine (or butter)
3 eggs
2 cups sugar

Beat in:
1/4 cup orange juice (or lemon juice)
1/2 cup milk
2 t. vanilla extract (substitute coconut extract for a rich flavor)

Stir in:
2 cups grated zucchini (I've used up to 3 or 4 cups of zucchini, and it doesn't seem to be a problem)

Sift together in a separate bowl, then stir into wet ingredients:
2 1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup cocoa
2 1/2 t. baking powder
1 1/2 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon

Optional stir ins:
1 cup chopped nuts or chocolate chips

Spread evenly in pan, then bake for 50 minutes to an hour, until it tests done with a toothpick.
Frost the cooled cake, or not. I don't think it needs any additions, except if you really wanted to splurge on the calories, add ice cream and warm chocolate sauce.

NOTE: A great version I made years ago and jotted down included additions of raspberry flavored chips, 1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped, and 1/4 t. peppermint extract.

The Blogger Blues and Blueberry Lemon Brunch Cake

Couldn't post my daffodil pic yesterday, nor my cartoon today... and I can't spend time required to figure it out.
So I'll do something else today, but it has to be fast!
A recipe!
Lemon Blueberry Brunch Cake
Source: Pillsbury cake mix box
Posted in the GCHS newsletter Feb. '96
Servings: 16 (a 9"X13" pan)
Note: DEFinitely prepare the day ahead to allow flavors to develop.

Cake:
1 pkg. Pillsbury Plus lemon cake mix
1/4 c. margarine, softened
3 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup water
2 eggs

21-oz. can blueberry pie filling

1/2 cup slivered almonds

Note: Just after beating batter I fold in about one generous T. fresh lemon peel and about 1/4 cup fresh lemon herb leaves, chopped (l. verbena, l. thyme, or l. balm).
Note: If you make your own blueberry filling, as I do, make it thick, and use about 2-1/2 cups.


Glaze:
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
2-3 t. milk
1 T. margarine, softened

Note: Recipe calls for 1/4 t. lemon extract in glaze, I omit.

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In mixer bowl, cut together cake mix, margarine, and cream cheese to form fine crumbs. Reserve 1 cup. Combine almonds with reserved crumbs and set aside.
To remaining crumbs add water and eggs, beating 2 minutes at high speed with mixer. (Fold in lemon peel and herbs.)
Spread in greased, floured pan. Spoon pie filling over batter, spreading to cover batter to edges. Sprinkle reserved crumbs over filling.
Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes *until edges are browned and toothpick tests clean in center*. Cool 25 minutes.
Drizzle glaze over warmish cake, cover, and store in refrigerator. Will taste best the next day.