My favorite apple, MacIntosh, is in season.  And since I had a basket full of apples, I was looking around for a new recipe for anything "apple".  Somehow, I came across this recipe and it truly is a keeper!  It is dense and moist and so full of autumn flavors...apples, cinnamon, brown sugar.  BTW, it is more the density of a coffee cake rather than a cake care.  And the dough/batter is more crumbly than smooth.  Please enjoy.

Ingredients

For the cake -

4 cups chopped and peeled apples
2 cups sugar
1 cup oil
3 eggs (room temperature)
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon

For the frosting - 

1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup whole milk
1 stick butter

Directions

1. Mix cake ingredients by hand, then spread in greased a 9” x 13” pan.
2. Bake at 350 F for 35 to 45 minutes or until tester in center comes out clean.
3. While cake is baking, prepare frosting. Combine frosting ingredients in saucepan.
4. Bring to a boil and allow to boil for 4 minutes.
5. When cake is ready, pour frosting over cake.
​6. Return cake with frosting to oven for 4 minutes

During this last year the motto "keep it simple" has become a part of my life.  Therefore when I came across this three ingredient cake recipe, I knew I had to try it out.  Here is the basic recipe:

1 box of cake mix (Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, etc)
1 can of pie filling
3 eggs

Combine all three ingredients and pour into a prepared 9" x 13" cake pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes (or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean).

Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream...and enjoy.

In the cake pictures above I used one box of butter cake mix with one can of strawberry pie filling.  In a video that I saw, the baker used one box of yellow cake mix with one can of apple pie filling.  The recipe is flexible...just keep the cake mix and the pie filling compatible.

BTW, the strawberry version is delicious.  The next time I try this, I am thinking of using a box of chocolate cake mix with a can of cherry pie filling.

~Wylddane

1 package (about 15-ounces) yellow cake mix
4 eggs
3/4 cup orange juice
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup brandy
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup pecan pieces
1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons orange zest
Orange powdered sugar glaze

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).  Grease and flour 12-cup (10-inch) bundt pan.
2.  Combine cake mix, eggs, orange juice, oil and brandy in a large bowl; beat 1 to 2 minutes or until well blended.  Fold in cranberries, pecans and orange zest.  Pour batter into prepared pan.
3.  Bake about 40 to 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.  Cool in pan 10 minutes; invert onto wire rack to cool completely.
4.  When cake has cooled completely glaze with the orange powdered sugar glaze:  1 cup powdered sugar, 1 to 2 tablespoons of orange juice...whisk together.  You may want to add or decrease orange juice to get desired consistency.

​Make 12 servings.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup of butter, melted
• 1 cup of tightly packed dark brown sugar
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup of all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup to 1/2 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chunks (you can use chips) 
• 1/3 cup to 1/2 cup of toasted walnut pieces

​
Directions

1 Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly butter and flour an 8X8-inch pan . Whisk together the melted butter and sugar in a bowl.
2 Add the egg and vanilla extract and whisk.
3 Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, mix it all together. Add the the choclate chunks and the toasted walnut pieces. 
4 Pour into the pan and spread evenly. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool. Cut into squares or rectangles and serve.

Quick and easy blondie recipe. Like brownies in shape and texture, blondies are flavored with brown sugar in place of chocolate. Delicious!

• Prep time: 15 minutes
• Cook time: 25 minutes to 30 minutes
• Yield: Makes 9 to 16 blondies

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) of butter, melted
• 1 cup of tightly packed dark brown sugar
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup of all-purpose flour (I used 1/3 cup white flour and 2/3 cup whole wheat flour to equal 1 cup)
• 1/3  to 1/2 cup of butterscotch chips 
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup of toasted sliced almonds

Directions
1 Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly butter and flour an 8X8-inch  pan. Whisk together the melted butter and sugar in a bowl.
2 Add the egg and vanilla extract and whisk.
3 Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, mix it all together. Add the butterscotch chips and the toasted sliced almonds.
4 Pour into the pan and spread evenly. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool. Cut into squares or rectangles and serve.

During the holidays my mother always baked a mincemeat pie or two.  I loved her mincemeat pies in all of their citrusy fruity goodness.  So, when I found this recipe in a Betty Crocker cookbook titled "Christmas Cookbook", I decided to try it.  It came out not bad at all...actually it is quite good.  It's not the same as my mother's recipe but considering it is made with pre-made mincemeat, you will enjoy it.

Caveat here...I think most people think of mincemeat pie the same way they think of fruit cake...they either love it or hate it.

Recipe:

Heat oven to 425 degrees (F).  Prepare pasty for 9-inch two-crust pie.  Mix one jaro (28-ounces) prepared mincemeat and 1 and 1/2 cups diced and pared tart apples; pour into pastry-lined pie plate.  Cover with top crust that has slits cut in it; seal and flute; sprinkle lightly with house cinnamon/sugar mixture.  Bake until crust is golden brown...about 40 to 45 minutes.  You might want to consider covering the edge with aluminum foil to prevent excessive browning...I did not need to to do that.

Enjoy.

! cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 package cream cheese (8-oz) softened
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 egg (room tem)
2 teaspoons EggNogg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup chopped pecans

1.  Heat oven to 350 (F) degrees.  Mix flour, butter and 1/4 cup brown sugar until crumbly dough-like.  Press in ungreased baking pan (8x8x2) and bake for 10 minutes.  Remove from oven.
2.  Beat remaining ingredients (except pecans)  in small mixer bowl on low speed, scraping constantly for 30 seconds.  Beat on medium speed, scraping occasionally for 1 minute.  Spread over baked layer; sprinkle with pecans.  Bake until edges are light brown, about 25 to 30 minutes.
3.  Cool, refrigerator at least two hours.  Cut into 1 1/4 square inch bars.  Store in refrigerator.
4.  Makes about 3 dozen squares.

​Enjoy!

1.  Base -
     1 18-oz milk chocolate brownie mix (13 x 9 Family Size)
     1/2 cup very hot water
     1/2 cup vegetable oil
     1 egg

2.  Topping -
     1 7-oz jar marshmallow cream
     1 & 1/2 cups salted peanuts (recommend dry roasted)
     1 & 3/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

In a lage bowl, combine brownie mix, hot water, oil and egg.  Beat 50 strokes or so until blended.  Spread into a creased 7-inch x 11-inch pan (this is not a typo).  Bake at 350 degrees for 28 - 30 minutes.  Do not overbake.

Remove from over and immediately spread marshmallow cream over base.  Sprinkle evenly with peanuts and top with chocolate chips.

Return to over for 5 minutes or until chocolate chips are melted.
Cool completely and cut into bars.

​Enjoy.