Ginger Spice Cake With Sauteed Apples Food

FRESH APPLE SPICE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9-by-13-by-2-inch baking pan.
• Place the pecans on a sheet pan and toast them for 5 to 10 minutes, until lightly toasted. Set aside. Combine the rum and raisins in a small bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave for 60 seconds. Set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, vanilla, and orange zest on medium speed for 3 minutes. Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves into a medium bowl. With the mixer on low, slowly add the flour mixture to the wet mixture, just until combined. Drain the raisins, discarding the liquid. With a rubber spatula, fold the raisins, pecans, and apples into the batter. Spread into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
• Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Set aside to cool, cut into squares, and serve warm or at room temperature with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of warm caramel sauce.

APPLE SPICE CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE ICING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Melt the butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Toss in the apples and stir to coat them with the butter. Add the lemon juice and the apple cider. Cook until the apples have softened and the cider has reduced by half. Transfer the mixture to a food processor and pulse into a coarse paste. Reserve.
• In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, both of the sugars and a pinch of salt. Make a well in the dry ingredients and add the pureed apples, the egg and vanilla. Stir to combine. Toss in the walnuts and raisins.
• Butter and flour a loaf pan. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and put it in the preheated oven. Bake until a toothpick, inserted in the center comes out clean, about 40 to 45 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan and cool completely.
• Cut the cake in half equatorially and spread half of the icing on the bottom layer. Replace the top half and ice the top of the cake, leave the sides bare. Slice and serve.
• Beat together all of the ingredients in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer until light and fluffy.

GRILLED HAM STEAKS WITH SAUTEED SWEET POTATOES, CORN AND CARAMELIZED APPLES

Steps:

• Combine the brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Sprinkle the sugar mixture over the ham slices to coat all of the pieces. Heat a large grill pan over medium-high heat. Drain the pineapple chunks from the juice in the can. Add the ham and the pineapple chunks to the hot pan, and cook for approximately 20 minutes, or until the slices are golden brown. Reserve the liquid in the pan for the Sauteed Sweet Potatoes and Corn.
• Serve over lettuce with the Sauteed Sweet Potatoes, Corn, and Caramelized Apples.
• Bring a medium-sized pot of water to a boil. Peel and cut the sweet potato into small chunks. Add the sweet potato to the boiling water, and boil until tender. Drain the sweet potato into a colander. In the same pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Return the sweet potato to the pot, and add the rosemary. Saute until the sweet potato has developed nicely browned crusts on the cut sides, and then remove it to a large serving bowl.
• In another medium-sized pot, place 2 ears of corn in just enough water to cover, and bring to a boil. Continue boiling until kernels are soft and tender. Meanwhile, slice the green and red peppers into 1/4-inch strips. Add the peppers to the pan with the liquid from the sauteed ham, and cook over medium-high heat. Slice the corn off the cob, and add it to the pan with the peppers. Continue sauteing until vegetables are crisp yet tender. Add the corn and pepper mixture to the bowl with the sweet potato, and toss gently until combined.
• In a large pot, add the apples and enough water to cover. Bring to a boil and cook until apples are tender. Drain in a colander. To the same pot, add the butter and brown sugar, and return the apples. Over low heat, stir with a wooden spoon until the apples absorb the sugar and the butter has melted.

SPICY GINGER APPLESAUCE CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9-by-13-inch glass or light-colored metal baking pan.
• In a large bowl, whisk sugar and eggs until light, about 1 minute. Add applesauce, oil, fresh and ground ginger, orange zest, cinnamon, cardamom, allspice, vanilla extract and salt. Whisk to combine.
• Add the flour, baking soda and baking powder, and whisk until just combined. Fold in 1/2 cup chopped candied ginger.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top and firmly tap the pan on a countertop to release air bubbles. Bake the cake until golden and puffed, and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 25 to 35 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan on a rack.
• When the cake is cool, make the frosting: Add the cream cheese and butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Mix on medium-high until smooth, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl. Turn the speed to low, and slowly add the confectioners' sugar. Mix until the sugar is moistened, then turn the mixer speed up to medium-high and whip until smooth. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl. Add the ginger, lemon zest, vanilla and salt, and mix on low.
• Spread the frosting over the cooled cake in dramatic swoops and swirls, then sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup crystalized ginger on top. Serve at room temperature.

GINGER-APPLESAUCE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350ºF.
• Beat 1/2 cup butter, cake mix, eggs and applesauce in large bowl with mixer until blended. Stir in 1/2 cup chopped ginger. Pour into 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray.
• Bake 45 to 50 min. or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely.
• Beat cream cheese and remaining butter in separate large bowl with mixer until blended. Add vanilla and ground ginger; mix well. Gradually beat in powdered sugar; spread onto cake. Garnish with remaining chopped ginger.