Pumpkin Snack Cake With Apricot Cream Food

PUMPKIN SNACK CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and cinnamon; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in pumpkin. Pour into a greased 8-in. square baking pan. Combine topping ingredients; sprinkle over batter. , Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack.

GINGERSNAP PUMPKIN CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour a 10-in. fluted tube pan., In a large bowl, beat pumpkin, sugar, eggs and oil until well blended. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, pie spice and salt; gradually beat into pumpkin mixture., Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely., In a small bowl, beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla until blended. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth. Frost cake; sprinkle with crushed cookies. Freeze option: Wrap cooled cake in plastic wrap, then cover securely in foil; freeze. To use, thaw cake before unwrapping. Frost and decorate as directed.

PUMPKIN SNACK CAKE WITH APRICOT CREAM

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Grease an 8" springform pan or 8"x8"-inch square pan.
• In a large bowl, beat eggs at high speed for 5 minutes. Add pumpkin butter and sugar. Fold in dry ingredients.
• Pour into prepared pan and bake for 15 minutes. Cool.
• Beat cream cheese and preserves until well blended. Spread cream cheese mixture over cake. Garnish with optional whipped topping and mint leaves.

PUMPKIN SNACK CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray. In large bowl, beat cake mix, pumpkin, water, oil and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour batter into pan.
• Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on cooling rack, about 1 hour.
• In large bowl, beat cream cheese, butter and cinnamon with electric mixer on low speed until smooth. Gradually beat in powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, until frosting is smooth and spreadable. Frost cake. Sprinkle with pecans. Refrigerate 1 hour before serving. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

GOLDEN PUMPKIN AND APRICOT LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• For Cake:
• Preheat oven to 350° F. Butter three 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Dust pans with flour. Sift first 6 ingredients into medium bowl. Blend Apricot Puree, pumpkin and buttermilk in small bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until fluffy. Gradually add sugar, beating until well blended. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla. Mix in dry ingredients alternately with pumpkin mixture, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Divide batter equally among prepared pans. Smooth tops. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes (cakes will not rise to tops of pans).
• For Frosting:
• Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar in medium bowl until fluffy. Add Apricot Puree, pumpkin and spices and beat until blended. Cut around pan sides to loosen cakes. Turn out cakes. Place 1 cake layer on platter. Spread 1 cup frosting over. Top with second cake layer. Spread 1 cup frosting over. Top with third cake layer. Spread remaining frosting over sides and top of cake. Garnish with dried apricot cutouts, if desired. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and refrigerate. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.)