Pumpkin Pecan Caramel Holiday Cake Food

PUMPKIN-PECAN BUNDT CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Generously spray 12-cup fluted tube cake pan with baking spray with flour.
• In large bowl, beat cake mix, pumpkin, water, oil, eggs, cinnamon, ginger and 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg with electric mixer on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in 3/4 cup pecans. Pour into pan.
• Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven. Let stand 20 minutes; remove from pan to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• In 1-quart saucepan, cook butter, brown sugar, 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg and whipping cream over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil. Boil 1 minute. Remove from heat; pour into medium bowl. Cool 20 minutes. With whisk, beat in powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. Immediately pour over cake. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons pecans on top. Store loosely covered at room temperature.

CARAMEL PECAN PUMPKIN CAKE

Steps:

• In large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. In another bowl, whisk together the next 5 ingredients; add to creamed mixture alternately with pumpkin, beating well after each addition., Line a 5-qt. round slow cooker with heavy duty foil extending over sides; spray with cooking spray. Spread batter evenly into slow cooker. Cook, covered, on high, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 2 hours. To avoid scorching, rotate the slow-cooker insert one-half turn midway through cooking, lifting carefully with oven mitts. Turn off slow cooker; let stand, uncovered, 10 minutes. Using foil, carefully lift cake out of slow cooker and invert onto a serving plate., Drizzle caramel syrup over cake; top with pecans. Serve warm.

CARAMEL PUMPKIN PECAN CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F.
• Chop 1/4 cup nuts finely; place in medium bowl. Add gingersnap crumbs and butter; mix well. Press onto bottom of 13x9-inch pan.
• Beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl with mixer until blended. Add pumpkin, spice and vanilla; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Pour over crust.
• Bake 45 min. or until center is almost set. Cool completely. Refrigerate 4 hours.
• Microwave caramels and milk in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1-1/2 min. or until caramels are completely melted, stirring every 30 sec.; spoon over individual servings of cheesecake. Sprinkle with remaining nuts. Serve with whipped cream.

CARAMEL-PECAN PUMPKIN PULL-APARTS

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add pecans; cook and stir 2-3 minutes or until pecans are fragrant. Stir in brown sugar, cream and honey; cook and stir until sugar is dissolved and mixture begins to darken. Pour into a greased 9-in. square baking pan., In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. In a large bowl, whisk 2-1/4 cups flour, sugar, pie spice, salt, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon. Cut in butter until crumbly. Add pumpkin, buttermilk, vanilla and yeast mixture; mix well., Turn dough onto a floured surface; knead gently 8-10 times, adding additional flour if needed. Roll dough into a 9-in. square. Cut into 16 squares; arrange over pecan mixture. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate overnight., Remove pan from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 400°. Uncover; bake 24-28 minutes or until golden brown. Carefully invert onto a platter; serve warm.

PUMPKIN PECAN CHEESECAKE WITH CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Adjust the oven rack to lower-middle position and heat the oven to 350°F.
• Coat the inside rim of a large 10-inch springform pan with butter. Cut a 3-1/2 inch strip of parchment paper to line the inside edge of the pan forming a collar that extends past the top of the pan. Spray the paper and the pan bottom with oil spray.
• Place the cookies in a food processor and pulse until they break into fine crumbs. Add the butter over the top and pulse to combine.
• Tip the mixture into the prepared pan and press against the bottom of the pan. Transfer to the oven and bake for 10 minutes, then remove and cool on a wire rack.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.
• Bring a pot of water to a simmer. You will use this for a water bath.
• Add the cream cheese to a mixing bowl and beat on medium speed for 1 minute to break up the cream cheese. (You can use a stand mixer or a handheld mixer).
• Stop the motor and scrape down the sides. Add the sugar to the cream cheese and mix on low speed until blended together about 1 minute. Stop the mixer and scrape the bowl, then add the vanilla. Beat on medium speed until creamy, about 3 minutes. Be sure to stop the mixer at least twice during this time to scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl.
• Stop the mixer and add the pumpkin puree then stir in the cream and the spices. Beat on medium speed for 1 minute until well incorporated.
• Break the eggs into a dish and whisk to break them up, being careful to not create bubbles.
• With the mixer set on the lowest speed, pour 1/4 of the eggs into the cream cheese mixture. Mix until the eggs are well incorporated. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Continue adding, mixing and scraping the bowl with the remaining eggs. Mix the eggs just until they are well blended. Keep the mixer speed on low to prevent incorporating air into the batter.
• In order to make the springform pan leak-proof, set the pan into an oven-proof bag. You can use either a large turkey bag or a crockpot liner. Roll the excess of the bag up so it comes to the edge of the springform pan and tie it with a twisty to secure it.
• Pour the cheesecake batter into the crust, smoothing out the top. Set the springform pan into a larger pan such as a roasting pan and transfer to the middle rack of the oven.
• Carefully, pour the hot water into the larger pan so the water reaches halfway up the side of the springform pan.
• Bake the cheesecake for 60 to 75 minutes or until the center of the cheesecake is slightly wobbly. If you have an instant-read thermometer it should read 145-150°F.
• Remove the pan from the oven and let the cheesecake cool in the pan of hot water. When the water has cooled transfer the springform pan to a wire rack to finish cooling, then drape with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours. Overnight is best.
• Transfer the cheesecake to the work surface, unsnap the hinge on the side of the pan and lift off the rim of the pan. Gently peel away the parchment paper around the side of the cake.
• To transfer the cake to a cake plate or pedestal, use a large cake lifter or a long, thin knife to slide between the metal pan bottom and the cake, working it loose as you turn the cake. A turntable is very useful here. Use the cake lifter or a wide spatula to lift the cake onto the serving plate.
• When ready to serve, spread 1 cup of salted caramel sauce over the top of the cake and sprinkle with the toasted chopped pecans and whole pecans.
• Slice the cake with a thin knife dipped into hot water.

CARAMEL PUMPKIN POKE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Pour spice cake mix into a mixing bowl. Add eggs, water, and pumpkin puree. Beat about 2 minutes.
• Pour into lightly greased 9x13 cake pan.
• Bake 25-30 minutes until cake springs back when touched and a toothpick comes out clean.
• Cool completely (you can place in the fridge or freezer to cool if desired).
• When the cake is cool, use the end of a wooden spoon to poke about 30 holes in the cake.
• Poke halfway down the cake, not all the way to the bottom.
• Pour ice cream topping in holes and over cake.
• Spread whipped topping over cake and sprinkle on toffee bits.
• Refrigerate 2 hours before serving.