Fall Baking

I love baking.  I really do.  I can’t say that I am necessarily very good at it, but something about the art of doing it makes me feel very productive. I also love the fact that after I bake, there is usually a couple days worth of food to show for it (unlike cooking dinner which is consumed all too quickly!).  Besides loving baking, I also love Fall.  I could easily have Fall year around which makes Fall baking one of my favorite things to do during this time of year.  This past week I made pumpkin cake for the first time this season.  This is one of our favorite sweet treats to eat around this time of year (I can’t say it is overly healthy, but it sure is yummy!).  Here’s the recipe if anyone wants to give it a try:

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs
• 1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 15-ounce can pumpkin
• 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda

Icing:

• 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Using an electric mixer at medium speed, combine the eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin until light and fluffy. Stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and mix at low speed until thoroughly combined and the batter is smooth. Spread the batter into a greased 13 by 10-inch baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting. Cut into bars.

To make the icing: Combine the cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the sugar and mix at low speed until combined. Stir in the vanilla and mix again. Spread on cooled pumpkin bars.

Courtesy of Paula Deen

How about you?  Do any of you have a favorite “Fall” recipe you would like to share?   If so, let me know.  I always like to try some new things:)

Melissa