Harvest Cake With Cider Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting Recipes

SUPER MOIST SPICE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and grease a 9×13 inch pan. I always use this glass pan.
• Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and other spices together in a large bowl. Set aside.
• Whisk the oil, brown sugar, applesauce, eggs, vanilla extract, and molasses (if using) together in a medium bowl. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until combined. Fold in the shredded apple until combined.
• Spread batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes. Baking times vary, so keep an eye on yours. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If you find the top of the cake is browning too quickly in the oven, loosely cover it with aluminum foil.
• Remove the cake from the oven and set on a wire rack. Allow to cool completely. After about 45 minutes, I usually place it in the refrigerator to speed things up.
• In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together on high speed until smooth and creamy. Add 3 confectioners' sugar, vanilla, and salt. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then switch to high speed and beat for 2 minutes. If you want the frosting a little thicker, add the extra 1/4 cup of confectioners sugar (I add it). Spread the frosting on the cooled cake. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving. This helps sets the frosting and makes cutting easier.
• Cover leftover cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for 5 days.

FROSTED HARVEST CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat the pumpkin, eggs, oil and vanilla until blended. Combine dry ingredients; gradually stir into pumpkin mixture., Pour into a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 20-25 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack. , In a small bowl, beat the butter, cream cheese, vanilla, milk and salt until smooth. Gradually add confectioners' sugar until smooth. Frost cake; cut into bars. Store in the refrigerator.

HARVEST CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Grease or spray one 9-inch and one 8-inch round cake pan.
• In large bowl, beat 1 box cake mix, 1 cup of the apple cider, 1/3 cup of the butter, 3 of the eggs, 1/4 teaspoon of the cinnamon and 1/8 teaspoon of the nutmeg with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the ginger and 1/2 cup of the pecans. Pour into pans.
• Bake and cool as directed on box for 9-inch and 8-inch rounds.
• Meanwhile, place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups. Make cake batter as directed above, using remaining cake mix, apple cider, butter, eggs, cinnamon and 1/8 teaspoon of the nutmeg. Stir in remaining ginger and pecans. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. Bake as directed on box for cupcakes. Cool 10 minutes in pans; remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Stir 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg into each container of frosting. Fill and frost cake layers with frosting, placing 9-inch layer on bottom. Remove paper baking cups from 9 cupcakes. Arrange 5 cupcakes upside down on top of cake (cut off thin layer from tops with serrated knife, if necessary, to make tops flat). Frost sides and tops. Center 3 cupcakes upside down on first layer of cupcakes; frost sides and tops. Place 1 cupcake upside down on top; frost.
• Decorate cake with candies. Squeeze green decorating icing through drawing tip to make vines. Frost and decorate remaining cupcakes with candies, or wrap and freeze for another use. Store cake loosely covered.

HARVEST CAKE WITH CIDER-CINNAMON CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray or butter a 9" x 9" square pan, line with wax paper, and spray or butter the paper. Set aside.
• Whisk the flours, soda, salt, and spices together in a medium-sized bowl. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and sugars until very well blended. Add the vanilla, buttermilk, and applesauce and whisk until completely combined. Using a spoon, stir in the flour mixture, then fold in the grated vegetables and fruit, stirring until completely coated with batter.
• Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake on the middle rack for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the cake tests clean with a wooden toothpick. Let cool for 15 minutes, then invert the cake onto a cooling rack. Remove paper, and invert again onto a serving plate. Cool at least 1 hour more.
• Meanwhile, make the frosting: In the work bowl of a food processor fitted with the paddle attachment, whip the butter and cream cheese together on medium speed until light and smooth, about 3 minutes. With the machine on low, add the sugar, a little at a time, then the cider and cinnamon. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, increase speed to high, and whip for 2 minutes.
• Spread half the frosting on the cake and reserve the other half for another use, or split the cake in half horizontally, fill the center with a thin layer of frosting, then frost the tops and sides of the cake.

APPLE SHEET CAKE WITH CINNAMON CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• Prepare the cake: Heat oven to 350 degrees and set a rack in the center. Butter and flour a 9-by-13-inch glass or light colored metal baking pan.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the light brown sugar and eggs until pale and foamy. Add the applesauce, oil, spices and salt. Whisk to combine.
• Add the 2 cups flour, baking powder and baking soda, and whisk until well combined.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and firmly tap the pan on a countertop a few times to release air bubbles. Bake the cake until golden and puffed, and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan on a rack.
• When the cake is cool, make the frosting: Add the cream cheese, butter and cinnamon to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle 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 speed up to medium-high and whip until smooth and fluffy.
• Spread the frosting over the cooled cake and serve. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 3 days.

MULLING-SPICE CAKE WITH CREAM-CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare the cakes: Coat two 9-inch round pans with baking spray and line the bottoms with parchment.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, spices and salt; set aside.
• Working in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or using an electric mixer), beat together the butter and brown sugar on medium until smooth. Add eggs and orange zest, and beat on medium-high speed, about 1 minute.
• In a separate bowl or liquid measuring cup, add the molasses and baking soda. In a small saucepan, bring the apple cider to a boil over high; pour it over the molasses and baking soda and whisk until combined. (The mixture will froth.)
• Beat in a third of the flour to the butter mixture on low until combined, then half the cider mixture. When it's blended, add half the remaining flour, all the remaining cider, then the rest of the flour, beating to blend after each addition. Batter will be runny.
• Divide the batter between the pans, swiveling the pans to level the batter, which will be scant. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean, rotating halfway through. Let cakes cool in pans for 15 minutes, then unmold and transfer the cakes to wire racks to cool fully.
• Prepare the frosting: Use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the butter and beat until smooth. Add the vanilla and salt, and mix briefly. On low speed, add the confectioners' sugar, 1/2 cup at a time. After all the sugar is incorporated, scrape the bowl, then beat the frosting on medium-high for 15 seconds.
• Place one layer of cake on a serving platter. Top with 1 cup frosting, and spread it to the edge of the cake. Place the second cake layer on top, and frost the entire cake with the remaining frosting. Top with a smattering of crystallized ginger bits, chocolate pearls or sprinkles, if desired. Refrigerate for 1 hour (or up to 3 days) before serving.