Cake | Good Dinner Mrs Mellen

Category: Cake
- Cranberry Desserts
  
  Posted at 9:36 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Dec 8th
  You all know by now that I love using cranberries in my cooking; sauce, with veggies – so good with Brussels sprouts – and especially desserts. Cranberries also add a festive touch to all your dishes. Especially around the Holidays Cranberries add a festive flavorful touch.
  
  This year once again cranberries will be the star on my holiday dessert table – from easy make ahead tea breads to an rich cheese cake and a sparking show stopping white cake.
  
  The Ultimate Cheesecake
  
  The Ultimate Cheesecake
  
  A rich cheesecake topped with candied cranberries taste delicious and looks beautiful on a dessert table. My youngest son Chad loves cheesecake; we’ve even been to Juniors in Times square to sample their array of delectable cakes. At Christmas I make especially for him a cheesecake enjoyed by all. This cheesecake is what is called a New York style – rich, five packages of cream cheese, five eggs plus two egg yolks and cream – making for a dense creaming cake. In the spring I make this cheesecake with crushed pineapple.
  
  Snowy Winter White Chocolate Cranberry Cake
  
  Snowy Winter White Chocolate Cranberry Cake
  
  Isn’t this a beautiful cake – looking like a new fallen snow on Christmas morning. The white cake is light and moist, one of my favorite recipes that I use over and over, just changing the filling and frosting.
  
  Sweet Potato Cranberry Pound Cake
  
  Sweet Potato Cranberry Pound Cake
  
  A deliciously easy cake, perfect after a meal, but I like to serve this cake with brunch or when sharing a cup of coffee with friends.
  
  Pumpkin Cranberry Tea Bread with White Chocolate
  
  Pumpkin Cranberry Tea Bread with White Chocolate
  
  Tea breads are great to make ahead and freeze for up to a month. I always around the holidays have a few in my freezer for when friends drop in or if I want to bring as a hostess gift. I wrap the tea bread in cello wrap which you can purchase at a craft store and tie with a festive bow.
  
  In New England we have fresh picked cranberries from fall to December. Cranberries freeze well so I buy extra to freeze and use during the winter months in my cooking.
  
  I have many recipes on my blog with cranberries!
  
  Enjoy!
  
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  Posted in Cake, Christmas, Christmas Recipes, Dessert, desserts, Elegant, entertaining, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Tea Breads | Tagged Christmas, Clheesecake, Cranberries, Ghiradelli Chocolate, King Arthur Flour, Philadelphia cream cheese
- Chocolate Cake with Peppermint Crean Cheese Frosting
  
  Posted at 9:56 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Dec 3rd
  Chocolate Cake with Peppermint Crean Cheese Frosting
  
  Peppermint reminds me of old fashioned Christmases when I would find a big candy cane in my stocking which I would savor for weeks! I love the combination of chocolate, cream cheese and peppermint in this cake. As I take a bite the cool peppermint cream cheese frosting combines with the chocolate cake for an irresistible tempting dessert that will be the star of any Holiday meal.
  
  Ingredients
  
  . 2 cups sugar
  
  . 2 cups all-purpose flour
  
  . ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  
  . 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  
  . 1 teaspoon baking powder
  
  . 1 teaspoon baking soda
  
  . 1 cup buttermilk
  
  . ½ cup vegetable oil
  
  . 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  
  . 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  
  . 1 cup hot water
  
  . Peppermint Frosting (recipe follows)
  
  . Garnish: Hershey’s Candy Cane Kisses and crushed candy canes
  
  Instructions
  
  1. Preheat oven to 350°. Spray 3 (8-inch) round cake pans with baking spray. Line bottoms of pans with parchment paper, and spray again.
  
  2. In a large bowl, combine sugar, flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract. Form a well in center of flour mixture. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until combined. Add hot water, whisking to combine. Pour batter into prepared pans.
  
  3. Bake until a wooden pick inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes.
  
  4. Remove from oven, and let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and let cool completely on wire racks.
  
  5. Spread Peppermint Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake. Decorate with kisses and crushed candy cane. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Garnish with sugared mint leaves, sparkling sugar, and candy canes, if desired. Store in refrigerator for up to 3 days.
  
  Cream Cheese Buttercream
  
  1 8-oz pkg. cream cheese, softened
  
  1 cup butter, softened
  
  2 16-oz pkg. powdered sugar
  
  2 tablespoon whole milk
  
  1 teaspoon vanilla
  
  1 teaspoon peppermint extract
  
  1/4 teaspoon salt
  
  Beat cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer on medium
  
  speed until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, milk, vanilla,
  
  peppermint, and salt, and beat until smooth. Increase speed to
  
  medium high, and beat until light and fluffy.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Baking, Cake, Chocolate, Christmas, Christmas Recipes, desserts, Food, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen | Tagged chocolate cake, Christmas, peppermint cream cheese frosting
- Chocolate Mousse Cake
  
  Posted at 5:15 pm by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Nov 16th
  Following my blog you know that I love to bake! I baked my first cake from scratch when I was a young girl and my love of baking continues all these years later. If you have never baked a cake especially for a birthday I highly recommend you do it at least once. It is so rewarding to see the look on the recipient’s face when you put a beautiful homemade cake with candles right in front of them. I think everyone needs a great chocolate cake for birthdays and this cake has a present inside, a rich, smooth, peanut butter mousse filling. Coffee adds extra flavor to the chocolate cake rather than using plain water. If you make this cake I’d love to see photos and hear from you!
  
  Ingredients
  
  2 3/4 cups flour- I like King Arthur’s Flour
  
  2 teaspoons baking power
  
  1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  
  6 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
  
  6 tablespoons vegetable oil
  
  2 cups sugar
  
  3/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa
  
  1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  
  4 large eggs
  
  1 1/2 cups strong coffee
  
  Mousse
  
  1 (10-ounce) package peanut butter
  
  3 cups whipping cream
  
  2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  
  2 tablespoon butter
  
  1 1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate morsels
  
  INSTRUCTIONS
  
  Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 8″ round cake pans.
  
  Sift in a small bowel four, baking power and baking soda. Set aside.
  
  Beat together the butter, oil, sugar, cocoa, and vanilla extract until they form a smooth paste. The sugar will stay granular.
  
  Add the eggs one at a time, beating well and scraping the bottom of the bowl after each addition.
  
  Add the flour alternately with the water, mixing at medium-low speed and beginning and ending with the flour. Once the last of the flour is added, mix briefly, just until smooth.
  
  Divide the batter between the pans. Cakes will self-level in the oven, so there’s no need to smooth the top with a spatula. However, it does help to remove any large bubbles by tapping the cake pans firmly on the counter 7 or 8 times.
  
  Bake the cakes for 35 to 40 minutes, until their tops spring back and a cake tester inserted into the center of one comes out clean.
  
  Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, run a spatula around the edges to loosen, and turn out onto a rack to cool completely.
  
  Combine 2/3 cup whipping cream and peanut butter morsels in a small saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until morsels melt and mixture is smooth; remove saucepan from heat. Stir in vanilla extract, and cool 25 minutes.
  
  Beat 1 1/3 cups whipping cream at high speed with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Stir one-third whipped cream into peanut butter mixture. Fold into remaining whipped cream. Cover and chill for 2-3 hours or until mousse is firm. Spread between cake layers then cover and chill. You can make the cake the day ahead.
  
  Bring remaining 1 cup whipping cream and 2 tablespoon butter to a boil in a small saucepan. Add chocolate morsels; remove from heat, and let stand 5 minutes. Stir until morsels melt and mixture is smooth.
  
  Pour glaze over cake; garnish, if desired. Serve warm, or chill and serve at room temperature.
  
  Enjoy!
  
  www.gooddinnermrsmellen.com
  
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  Posted in Cake | Tagged Birthday Cake, chocolate cake, easy, King Arthur's Flour
- Pumpkin Spice Cake with Brown Sugar Icing
  
  Posted at 10:49 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Nov 3rd
  In New England we celebrate Autumn with gusto like the strong winds creating falling leave whirlpools on front lawns then whisking the colorful leaves away to decompose in the woods. Fall is a glorious season inviting all to partake in the cornucopia of scents and tastes indicative of the season. I love to bake aromatic cakes, pies and cookies filling my home with spicy fragrances; a perfect companion to falling temperatures complimenting the change from summer to fall. On a brisk fall day what could be more appropriate than a piece of spice cake with a cup of tea sitting by the fire watching the changing jewel tone leaves float quietly to the ground.
  - For cake
    - 1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened, plus additional for greasing bundt pan
    - 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour plus additional for dusting pan
    - 2 teaspoons baking powder
    - 1 teaspoon baking soda
    - 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
    - 1/2 teaspoon salt
    - 1 1/4 cups canned solid-pack pumpkin (from a 15-ounce can; not pie filling), Libby’s Pumpkin
    - 3/4 cup well-shaken buttermilk
    - 1 teaspoon vanilla
    - 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
    - 3 large eggs
  - For icing
  - 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  - 1/3 cup heavy cream1/4 cup salted butter
  - 1 cup powdered sugar
  - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  - Special Equipment
    - a 10-inch nonstick bundt pan (3 quart)
  PREPARATION
  - Make cake:
    - Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Butter bundt pan generously, then dust with flour, knocking out excess.
    - Whisk together flour (2 1/4 cups), baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin spice, and salt in a bowl. Whisk together pumpkin, 3/4 cup buttermilk, and vanilla in another bowl.
    - Beat butter (1 1/2 sticks) and granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes, then add eggs and beat 1 minute. Reduce speed to low and add flour and pumpkin mixtures alternately in batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture and mixing until batter is just smooth.
    - Spoon batter into pan, smoothing top, then bake until a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool cake in pan on a rack 15 minutes, then invert onto severing plate. Cool 10 minutes more.
  - Make icing:
  - Bring light brown sugar, heavy cream, and salted butter to a boil in a 1-quart saucepan over medium, stirring often. Boil, stirring often, 1 minute; remove from heat. Gradually whisk in powdered sugar and 1 tsp. vanilla extract until smooth.
  - Drizzle icing over warm cake, then cool cake completely. Icing will harden slightly.
  Cake can be made 3 days ahead and kept in an airtight container
  
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  Posted in Baking, Baking, Cake, Dessert, Easter Recipes, Food | Tagged fall baking, Libby's pumpkin, New England, spice cake
- Candied Apple Crumb Cake
  
  Posted at 3:56 pm by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Sep 18th
  Fall at it’s best with fresh picked apples baked in a rich pound cake with crumb topping and caramel drizzled on top. Richly flavored with just a hint of orange juice, cinnamon and crisp tart apples. I used Granny Smith Apples in this cake for their tart flavor along with a firm consistency after baking. In this cake I want to bit into the apple with each bite as if I just had reach up picking the apple right off the tree. As gorgeous as this cake looks it is quite easy to make. Delicious, dazzling, easy to duplicate, what could be better.
  
  Candied Apple Crumb Cake
  
  Cake
  
  4 cups flour
  
  2 cups sugar
  
  1/2 teaspoon salt
  
  4 teaspoons baking powder
  
  1 cup oil
  
  1 cup orange juice
  
  3 large eggs (4 if small)
  
  1 teaspoon vanilla
  
  Apple Filling
  
  4 Granny Smith Apples peeled and slice
  
  1/2 cup sugar
  
  2 teaspoon cinnamon
  
  Crumb Topping
  
  1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened
  
  1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
  
  1 cup flour
  
  1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  
  1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  
  Caramel Sauce
  
  1 cup granulated sugar
  
  ½ cup heavy cream
  
  2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  
  1 teaspoon fleur de sel (or another sea salt)
  
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease tube cake pan and set aside. Sift together flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Place in a large mixing bowel making a well.
  
  2. Combine oil, orange juice, eggs and vanilla. Pour into center of well and beat for three minutes.
  
  3. Combine sugar and cinnamon in small bowel and set aside.
  
  4. Pour third of batter into prepared pan, add half sliced apples and half cinnamon-sugar. Cover with half the remaining batter. Top with remaining apples then cinnamon-sugar. Add remaining batter on top.
  
  5. Combine ingredients for crumb topping blending until thoroughly combined. A pastry blender works best to make the crumb topping but you can cut butter in with two knives.
  
  6. Sprinkle over cake. Bake 1 hour 30 minutes or until tester comes out clean.
  
  7. Cool for 1 hour before removing from tube pan.
  
  8. Make caramel sauce: In a medium saucepan over medium high heat combine the sugar with 1/4 cup cold water and stir to combine. Cook, without stirring, until the sugar has turned a deep amber color about 10 minutes. Meanwhile warm the cream in a small saucepan. When the caramel is ready, slowly, whisk in a warm cream and continue simmering for another 2-3 minutes until the mixture is smooth. Remove from heat, then whisk in the butter,, and then salt. Slowly drizzle over cake.
  
  Serve with Vanilla ice cream or just plain.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Apples, Baking, Cake, Dessert, Food, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen | Tagged apples, cake, caramel, fall baking
- Easter Milk Chocolate Layer Cake
  
  Posted at 3:15 pm by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Mar 19th
  Easter Milk Chocolate Layer Cake
  
  1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
  
  3/4 cup granulated sugar
  
  1/4 cup light vegetable oil
  
  2 large eggs, room temperature
  
  2 1/2 cup cake flour King Arthur
  
  1/4 cup dried nonfat milk
  
  1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder Ghirardelli
  
  1 teaspoon kosher salt
  
  1 teaspoon baking soda
  
  1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  
  6 ounces milk chocolate, melted
  
  1 cup whole buttermilk, room temperature
  
  1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  
  1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  
  Chocolate Fudge Frosting (Recipe below)
  
  Crushed Cadbury Milk Chocolate mini eggs
  
  1. Preheat oven to 350F. Butter and flour two 9-in round cake pans.
  
  2. Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat in a bowl butter, sugar, oil and eggs at medium speed until well combined about 2 minutes.
  
  3. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, dried milk, cocoa, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Add flour mixture, alternating with buttermilk in thirds starting and ending with flour. Beat until well combined. With mixture at low speed add chocolate, vanilla and almond until chocolate is combined. Ddivid batter between prepared pans.
  
  4. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes. remove from pans, and let cook completely on wire racks. Spread Chocolate Fudge Frosting between layers, sprinkle with half crushed chocolate eggs. Place remaining cake layer on top, frost top and sides. Garnish with remaining crushed chocolate eggs.
  
  Milk Chocolate Frosting
  
  12 ounces mild chocolate, chopped
  
  1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  
  1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  
  3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
  
  1.Combine chocolate, vanilla, and salt in medium bowl.
  
  2. In a small sauce pan heat cream over medium heat until just boiling. Pour hot cream over chocolate mixture; whisk until melted and smooth. Refrigerate for one hour.
  
  3. Beat chocolate with whisk attachment of stand mixture at medium speed for 3 minutes.
  
  Enjoy!
  
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  Posted in Baking, Cake, Chocolate, Dessert, Easter Recipes | Tagged cadbury mini eggs, cake, Easter recipe, Ghirardelli Chocolate, King Arthur Flour, milk chocolate
- Lemon Poppy Seed Cake
  
  Posted at 9:17 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Mar 1st
  Baking has been a passion of my since I made my first cake as a young child. I learned from my mother an exceptional baker as well as a cook. With her by my side assisting me I made my first cake – a basic moist white cake with chocolate frosting, better know as the classic birthday cake. From that day on I have continue by love of baking becoming an accomplished baker. And yes sometimes I still make that classic birthday cake, a family favorite.
  
  I created my Lemon Poppy Seed Cake to combine flavors that I love lemons, poppy seeds and white chocolate. The cake has a hint of tang topped with the smooth sweet white chocolate ganache, like yin and yang.
  
  Lemon Poppy Seed Cake
  
  INGREDIENTS
  
  1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for pan
  
  3 cups all-purpose flour plus more for pan
  
  1 tablespoon baking powder
  
  2 teaspoons kosher salt
  
  2 1/2 cups sugar
  
  1 can Solo Poppy Seed Cake and Pastry Filling
  
  4 large eggs separated
  
  1 teaspoon vanilla
  
  2 teaspoons lemon zest
  
  2 teaspoons lemon juice
  
  1 cup buttermilk
  
  1/4 cup slivered almonds
  
  RECIPE PREPARATION
  
  Preheat over to 350F. Butter and flour 12 cup Bundt pan or 10 cup tube pan: set aside. Whisk flour, baking power and salt in a medium bowl. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy.  Add poppy filling and beat until blended. Beat in egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.  Stir in dry ingredients in thirds alternating with buttermilk, start and end with dry ingredients. Beat egg whites in separate bowl with electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Fold beaten egg whites into batter. Add vanilla, lemon zest and lemon juice. Bake for 60-70 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely.
  
  Drizzle white chocolate Ganache over cake.  Sprinkle slivered almonds on top.
  
  White Chocolate Ganache
  
  Place finely chopped chocolate in small heatproof bowl.Set over warm water on low heat (water should not touch bottom of bowl).Stir very frequently until almost melted. Remove from heat and hot water; stir until smooth, pressing out any lumps with back of spoon or a rubber spatula.
  
  In small saucepan over low heat, heat cream just unto simmer stirring frequently. Remove from heat, add about two-thirds of hot cream into melted white chocolate. Stir gently to incorporate, then beat or whisk until smooth.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Baking, Cake, desserts, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Uncategorized | Tagged Easy recipe, Lemon Poppy Seed Cake, white chocolate ganache
- Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
  
  Posted at 6:13 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Dec 24th
  Baking has always held a special place in my heart since I made my first chocolate cake with my mother. After my first successful baking experience I became a passionate baker so talented my mother assigned the baking of our family cakes to me. I continued after I had my own family my love of baking encouraged by my love ones. I love to make all different kinds of cakes pairing with a ray of different frostings. My personal favorite for chocolate cake is butter cream which goes well with the rich cake. You can finish this cake as I did or add your own personal touches depending on the season or the holiday.
  
  
  
  Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
  
  6 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
  
  6 tablespoons vegetable oil
  
  2 cups sugar
  
  3/4 cups Dutch-process cocoa
  
  1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  
  4 large eggs
  
  2 3/4 cups Unbleached Self-Rising Flour
  
  1 1/2 cups water
  
  Instructions
  
  . Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour three 8″ round cake pans.
  
  . Beat together the butter, oil, sugar, cocoa, and vanilla extract until they form a smooth paste. The sugar will stay granular.
  
  . Add the eggs one at a time, beating well and scraping the bottom of the bowl after each addition.
  
  . Add the flour alternately with the water, mixing at medium-low speed and beginning and ending with the flour. Once the last of the flour is added, mix briefly, just until smooth.
  
  . Divide the batter between the pans. Cakes will self-level in the oven, so there’s no need to smooth the top with a spatula. However, it does help to remove any large bubbles by tapping the cake pans firmly on the counter 7 or 8 times.
  
  . Bake the cakes for 30 to 35 minutes, until their tops spring back and a cake tester inserted into the center of one comes out clean.
  
  . Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, run a spatula around the edges to loosen, and turn out onto a rack to cool completely. Frost and fill with Buttercream Frosting. Drizzle with chocolate glaze, then caramel sauce, topping with Hershey’s Heath Milk Chocolate Toffee Bits.
  
  Buttercream Frosting
  
  4 cups powdered sugar
  
  4 Cup (4 sticks) of Softened butter
  
  1  tablespoon vanilla
  
  4  tablespoons milk
  
  In large mixing bowl add 4 cups of sifted confectioner sugar and butter . I do not always do this. Instead I will mix the powdered sugar Add 1 cup (2 sticks) of softened butter. Cream on low to combine until creamy. Add vanilla and milk beating to a smooth consistency.
  
  Chocolate Glaze: Melt 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips and 1 teaspoon shortening in small saucepan over heat.
  
  Carmel Sauce: Combine 10 Kraft Caramels with 1 tablespoon cream in a sauce pan; cook over medium-low heat until caramels are melted and smooth, stirring often.
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  Posted in Baking, Cake, desserts | Tagged buttercream, caramel sauce, chocolate cake
- Sweet Potato Cranberry Pound Cake
  
  Posted at 9:01 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Nov 18th
  Fall is a wonderful baking season filling with all the fruits and veggies that give your bake goods that fall crisp flavor and aroma. I just love this new take on pound cake adding cooked sweet potatoes and cranberries. Cream cheese make the cake very moist while the pumpkin spice adds the fall flavor.
  
  Sweet Potato Cranberry Pound Cake
  
  1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened
  
  1/2 cup butter, softened
  
  2 cups sugar
  
  4 large eggs
  
  2 1/2 cups cooked, mashed sweet potatoes (I baked, peeled then mashed)
  
  3 cups all-purpose flour
  
  2 teaspoons baking powder
  
  1 teaspoon baking soda
  
  1/4 teaspoon salt
  
  2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  
  1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  
  2 cups fresh cranberries, washed and picked over
  
  1. Preheat oven to 350º. Beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until yellow disappears. Add sweet potatoes, and beat well.
  
  2. Stir together flour, next 4 ingredients in a medium bowl. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Add cranberries folding over until cranberries are evenly distributed in batter. Spoon batter into a greased and floured 10-inch (12-cup) tube pan.
  
  3. Bake at 350º for 1 hour and 5 minutes to 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan to wire rack, and cool completely (about 1 hour).
  
  or try:
  
  Sweet Potato Pound Cake Loaves: Prepare batter as directed; pour into 2 greased and floured 8 1/2- x 4 1/2-inch loaf pans. Bake and cool as directed.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Baking, Baking, Cake, Dessert, desserts, Food, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Thanksgiving | Tagged cranberry, easy baking, pound cake, Sweet Potato
- Candied Apple Fudge Bundt Cake
  
  Posted at 8:45 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Nov 17th
  Bundt cakes have gotten a bad name over the years, remember ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding’, where the wishy-washy mother-in-law brings a bundt cake to the over the top engagement party and the bride’s Greek families reaction. Bundt cakes can be elevated to a show stopping dessert so easily. I have a repertoire of deliciously eye popping bundt cakes that are a great addition to any dinner or party. My Candied Apple Fudge Bundt Cake is a great dessert for your Thanksgiving table. Or if you are asked to bring a dessert dazzle your host and hostess with this fabulous cake.
  
  Candied Apple Fudge Bundt Cake
  
  CREAM CHEESE FILLING:
  1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened
  1/4 cup butter, softened
  1/2 cup granulated sugar
  1 large egg
  2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  
  APPLE CAKE BATTER:
  1 cup finely chopped pecans
  3 cups all-purpose flour
  1 cup granulated sugar
  1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  1 teaspoon salt
  1 teaspoon baking soda
  1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
  3 large eggs, lightly beaten
  3/4 cup canola oil
  3/4 cup applesauce
  1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  3 cups peeled and finely chopped Gala apples (about 1 1/2 lb.)
  
  PRALINE FROSTING:
  1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  1/4 cup butter
  3 tablespoons milk
  1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  1 cup powdered sugar
  
  CARAMEL TOPPING
  
  1 bag of caramels
  
  1 tablespoon water
  
  CHOCOLATE GLAZE
  3/4 cup semisweet chocolate morsels
  3 tablespoons butter
  1 tablespoon light corn syrup
  1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  
  Pecan halves
  
  Preparation
  
  1. Prepare Filling: Beat first 3 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended and smooth. Add egg, flour, and vanilla; beat just until blended.
  
  2. Prepare Batter: Preheat oven to 350º. Bake pecans in a shallow pan 8 to 10 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through. Stir together 3 cups flour and next 7 ingredients in a large bowl; stir in eggs and next 3 ingredients, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in apples and pecans.
  
  3. Spoon two-thirds of apple mixture into a greased and floured 14-cup Bundt pan. Spoon Cream Cheese Filling over apple mixture, leaving a 1-inch border around edges of pan. Swirl filling through apple mixture using a paring knife. Spoon remaining apple mixture over Cream Cheese Filling.
  
  4. Bake at 350º for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on a wire rack 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack, and cool completely (about 2 hours).
  
  5. Prepare Praline Frosting: Bring 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup butter, and 3 Tbsp. milk to a boil in a 2-qt. saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly; boil 1 minute, whisking constantly. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Gradually whisk in powdered sugar until smooth; stir gently 3 to 5 minutes or until mixture begins to cool and thickens slightly. Pour immediately over cooled cake.
  
  6. Combine caramels with water in microwave proof bowl. Microwave on high for 2 1/2 to 3 minutes. Stir for one minute and drizzle over cake.
  
  7. Prepare White Chocolate Glaze: Melt chocolate and cream in double boiler. Let cool slightly. Whisk in powdered sugar. Drizzle glaze over cake.
  Top with pecan halves.7. Prepare White Chocolate Glaze: Melt chocolate and cream in double boiler. Let cool slightly. Whisk in powdered sugar. Drizzle glaze over cake. Top with pecan halves.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Apples, Baking, Baking, Cake, Chocolate, Dessert, desserts, Food, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen | Tagged Apple, bundt cake, chocolate, cream cheese filling, fudge
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