Harvest Snack Cake Recipes

HARVEST SNACK CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. Combine the eggs, applesauce and vanilla; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in the carrots and raisins (batter will be thick). , Spread evenly in a 13x9-in. baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

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.

CHOCOLATE HARVEST CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease (and flour) two 9"x1 1/2" round baking pans.
• Combine and whisk all cake ingredients BUT flour and cocoa powder.
• Add flour and cocoa powder and whisk until even.
• Spread evenly into the two pans.
• Bake for 30-35 minutes until top springs back or toothpick comes out clean.
• Let cool.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together Pumpkin Cream Filling ingredients. (Make sure cream cheese is soft enough so you don't end up with cream cheese chunks!).
• Spread Pumpkin Filling on top of one cake and top it with the other.
• Boil whipping cream over medium-high heat.
• Remove from heat and add chocolate, DO NOT stir.
• Wait 5 minutes until chocolate is melty, then stir until smooth and chocolate is liquid.
• Wait until glaze has thickened (10 minutes) and then pour over top of cake.
• Refrigerate cake or let set until glaze is fairly solid (15-30 min).
• OPTIONAL: top with seasonal berries or nuts.

HARVEST POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 12-cup fluted tube cake pan. In large bowl, beat granulated sugar, oil, vanilla and eggs with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in flour, salt and baking soda until smooth. Stir in apples and nuts. Pour into pan.
• Bake 1 hour to 1 hour 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 20 minutes. Remove from pan to cooling rack.
• In 2-quart saucepan, heat all glaze ingredients to boiling, stirring occasionally. Boil 2 minutes, stirring constantly; remove from heat. Spoon glaze over warm cake.

SPICED SNACKING CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with oil. Line with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides; brush parchment. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and cardamom.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together egg and yolk, sour cream, oil, vanilla, and 3 tablespoons milk until combined. Add egg mixture to flour mixture; stir until smooth (batter will be thick). Transfer to prepared pan, smoothing top with an offset spatula.
• Bake until lightly golden and top of cake springs back when lightly pressed, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack; let cool 30 minutes. Using overhangs, transfer cake from pan to rack; let cool completely.
• In a small bowl, whisk together confectioners' sugar, remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons milk, vanilla seeds, 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest (or up to 1 tablespoon, for a zesty bite), and 1 tablespoon lemon juice until smooth and pourable. (If glaze is too thick, add up to remaining 2 tablespoons lemon juice.)
• Pour over top of cake, spreading to edges with offset spatula. Allow to set before slicing, about 30 minutes. Cake can be refrigerated, wrapped in plastic, up to 3 days; return to room temperature before serving.

HARVEST CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Place cake mix in bowl.
• Substitute apple cider for whatever the water amount is that the cake box requires.
• Add eggs as required by cake mix.
• Mix well.
• Once batter is moist and mixed well, add pumpkin.
• Pour half of the batter into a greased and floured bundt pan.
• Sprinkle nuts, brown sugar and cinnamon over batter.
• Add remaining batter on top.
• Cook according to mix directions for bundt pan, about 30 to 35 minutes.
• Serve with whipped cream.