Showing posts with label nuts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nuts. Show all posts

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Pumpkin Walnut bread with Cream Cheese filling



I love the way my house smells when a loaf of bread is baking and Lord have mercy, this pumpkin bread is AHHHHmazing. My favorite part is eating a nice thick slice topped with butter.

This recipe makes 2 loaves of bread, but I wanted to make one loaf and a dozen muffins, so I could share with the office.

Here's what you do....

Cream Cheese Filling:
8 ounce package softened cream cheese
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon all purpose flour

Pumpkin Bread:
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 large eggs
2 cups white sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and place rack in the center of the oven. Butter two 9" loaf pans.

Cream Cheese Filling: Mix cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add the egg and mix slightly. Stir in the flour. Set aside.

Pumpkin Bread: In a large bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.

In a larger bowl, whisk the eggs until lightly beaten. Add the sugar and melted butter and whisk until blended. Stir in the pumpkin, water, vanilla, and walnuts.

Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and stir just until the ingredients are combined. Do not over mix, the bread will come out too tough.

Divide the batter in half. Take one half and divide it evenly between the two prepared pans. Divide the cream cheese filling in half and place each half of filling on top the two pans of batter, smoothing the tops. Top with the remaining half of batter. Bake the breads for about 50 minutes, or until cooked through.

Allow to cool. Store in the refrigerator.

Saturday, September 18, 2010

Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake

Apples ain't only for the teacher!!! When I worked in the mall (many years ago) in Savannah, our store was located directly across from the Savannah Candy Company. I was mesmerized by the beautiful assortment of candy and caramel apples! Through the glass windows, you could watch their employees hard at work in the kitchen, the scent of sugar wafting through the air was irresistible. Their pralines were sinful, confections lined up in candy jars along the window in beautiful bright colors. Fudge in every kind of flavor imaginable. But my favorite part was watching the girls give these gargantuan apples a royal treatment, dipping apples into creamy caramel, then given a jacket of nuts, crushed oreos, milk or white chocolate or crushed butterfingers.

Apples are so versatile! From making a savory apple stuffing paired with chicken or turkey, or you can turn them into a decadent dessert.

I make this fabulous Caramel apple Cake that is simple and delicious! It's a fall favorite and I think you'll love it.

Here's what you do....

Start with a buttered cake pan or glass dish.
Next use a basic caramel sundae syrup. I like the Smucker's squeezeable :)
Now for the apples, you need apple pie filling (you can easily substitute your own apple filling here if you have time)... canned Apple pie filling is a quick alternative, which is what I used here. top the apples with drizzled caramel sauce and sprinkle with chopped pecans.

Next, mix together a basic yellow boxed cake mix (for ease), and pour evenly over the apple filling. Here, if you like a from scratch recipe, you can use your favorite basic mix.Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes. Allow the cake to cool for about 15 minutes, then invert the cake onto a cake board, while the cake is still warm, allowing the apples and caramel to melt into the cake.

Serve warm. And enjoy!!



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