Sopapilla Cheesecake

Here's a dessert recipe that everyone - and I mean, everyone - will ask for more. How 'bout making this sopapilla cheesecake? These sweeties puff like sopapillas and are great for breakfast or as a change from coffee cake or simply for dessert.

Sopapilla Cheesecake
Serve 12

Ingredients
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 (8-ounce) cans refrigerated crescent rolls
3/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup honey

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.

Beat the cream cheese, 1 cup white sugar and vanilla extract until smooth.

Unroll the crescent rolls and use a rolling pin to shape each piece into a 9x13 rectangle. Press one piece into the 9x13 baking dish. Evenly spread the cream cheese mixture into the baking dish, then cover with the remaining piece of the crescent dough. Stir together 3/4 cup white sugar, cinnamon and butter in a separate bowl. Dot the mixture over the top of the cheesecake.

Bake in the preheated oven until the crescent dough has puffed and turned golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and drizzle with honey. Cool completely in the pan before cutting into 12 squares.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Nutella, Almond Butter and Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting

This recipe takes lots of love. And all good things are worth waiting for. You could try doing this recipe with only one frosting but it just wouldn’t be the same. The combination of almond butter and Nutella is absolutely divine. If you don’t want to make the cupcakes and prefer to combine the two ingredients instead and lick the butter knife, I won’t tell.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Nutella, Almond Butter and Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

For the Cupcakes:
2/3 cup Nutella
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups cake flour
1 ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
¾ tsp. salt
3 large eggs
1 ½ cups sugar
¾ cup butter, softened
2 ½ cups buttermilk

Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting
8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
5 tablespoons butter, softened to room temperature
1 pound powdered sugar (about 3 3/4 cups), sifted
2 teaspoons clear vanilla extract*

Nutella Cream Cheese Frosting
6 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
2 tablespoons butter
½ cup Nutella
1 pound confectioners’ sugar (about 3 3/4 cups), sifted
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
black and brown food coloring, optional

Almond Butter/Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
6 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
2 tablespoons butter
½ cup Almond Butter or Peanut Butter
1 pound confectioners’ sugar (about 3 3/4 cups), sifted
1 teaspoons vanilla extract

*clear vanilla extract is used to maintain a purer white color. If this doesn't matter to you, then you may use regular vanilla extract.

Directions
For the Cupcakes
Line 3 dozen muffin cups with cupcake liners or grease using non-stick spray. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350.

Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar for 5 minutes, until it is pale and thick. Add in the butter. Mix until combined. Add in the nutella. Now, add in the buttermilk. Beat until well incorporated.

Add the flour mixture in 3 increments and beat until smooth. Divide batter into the cupcake tins. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Do not over-bake. Remove from oven and let cool completely before frosting.

Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting
Cream the butter and cream cheese in the large mixing bowl of a stand mixture. Add the vanilla. Slowly incorporate the powdered sugar as you continue to cream. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat on high speed until fluffy and smooth, adding milk or additional sugar (if needed) to reach desired consistency.

Nutella Cream Cheese Frosting
Cream the butter and cream cheese in the large mixing bowl of a stand mixture. Add the nutella and vanilla and continue to cream. Slowly incorporate the powdered sugar as you continue to cream. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat on high speed until fluffy and smooth, adding milk or additional sugar (if needed) to reach desired consistency. For a darker brown add 1 drop brown and 1 drop black food coloring.

Almond Butter or Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
Cream the butter and cream cheese in the large mixing bowl of a stand mixture. Add the almond butter or peanut butter and vanilla and continue to cream. Slowly incorporate the powdered sugar as you continue to cream. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat on high speed until fluffy and smooth, adding milk or additional sugar (if needed) to reach desired consistency.

To Decorate
Please see Kitchen Tip: Two Tone Frosting for Cupcakes for detailed instructions on how to pipe three different frosting flavors simultaneously.

Gooey Butter Cake

The title of this cake alone sold me. Gooey? Butter? Count me in! I didn’t need any more convincing. And, quite frankly, nor will you. Apparently, Gooey Butter Cake is a tradition is St. Louis often served at breakfast. But you don’t necessarily need to eat this for breakfast. Snack, dessert – anytime is a good time to eat this cake.

Gooey Butter Cake

Ingredients
For the crust:
1 package (18.25 Oz. Box) plain yellow cake mix
1 stick unsalted butter, melted
1 whole egg

For the filling:
8 ounces, weight cream cheese, at room temperature
2 whole eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 stick unsalted butter, melted
3-¾ cups confectioner's sugar

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°. Prepare crust first. In a large mixing bowl, combine the crust ingredients with a wooden spoon until moist. Transfer to a 13″x9″ ungreased baking pan and spread evenly over the bottom of the pan. Set aside.

Next, prepare the filling. In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add the eggs, vanilla, and melted butter, and continue to mix. Next, add the confectioner’s sugar one cup at a time until all sugar is mixed in. Pour filling over the crust, and spread evenly with a spatula.

Bake gooey butter cake for 40-45 minutes until it is browned, but the center is still jiggles when the pan is shaken. Cool for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with additional confectioner’s sugar and serve.

 

Pumpkin Cheesecake

I’ve gone through many simple no-bake cheesecakes in premade graham cracker crusts. And they were good. But they were nowhere near as good as making one from scratch. And this one is about as perfect a pumpkin cheesecake that you will make. You’re welcome.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Ingredients
For the crust:
1-3/4 cup gingersnap cookie crumbs, from about 40 gingersnap wafers
3 tablespoons brown sugar
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled down
For the filling:
3 8-ounce packages regular cream cheese (not low fat or nonfat), at room temperature
1 15-ounce can pureed pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
3 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk
1/4 c. sour cream
1-1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. salt
2 T. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. vanilla

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°. Prepare a 9″ spring form pan by lightly spraying with cooking spray.

For the crust, pulse the cookies in a food processor until the crumbs are uniform. Add the brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt and pulse to combine. Transfer to a medium bowl and add the melted butter. Combine thoroughly with a fork. When the mixture is evenly moist, crumbly, and holds together when you squeeze a handful, it’s ready. Press the mixture evenly over the bottom, and very slightly up the sides, of your spring form pan. Chill for 5 minutes, and then bake for 10 minutes. Let cool completely.

Prepare a water bath while the crust cools. Heat a kettle or pan of water to a soft boil. Have a larger baking dish or roasting pan ready to set the spring form pan inside of. Once the crust is cooled, set the spring form pan on a double layer of heavy duty aluminum foil and wrap the foil up around the outside of the pan.

Baked Pumpkin Donut Holes

Technically, these aren’t really donuts so you don’t have to feel guilty about indulging in them. Instead, they’re mini muffins. Yahoo! I love that these donut holes are baked and not fried. Soft, cakey and with a nice pumpkin flavor, your family will no doubt devour these donut holes. They won’t be able to stop popping them in their mouth. It’s the perfect fall breakfast treat or snack. Get out the pumpkin and make a batch today!

Baked Pumpkin Donut Holes
Makes 24 donut holes

Ingredients
For the Donuts:
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoons nutmeg
½ teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoons ground cloves
1/3 cup canola oil
½ cup light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cup canned plain pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
½ cup milk

For the Coating:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon

Directions
Preheat oven 350°F. Spray a 24-cup mini muffin tin with baking spray and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. In separate, large bowl whisk together oil, brown sugar, egg, vanilla, pumpkin and milk until smooth. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until just combined.

Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

While the muffins bake,melt butter in one bowl and combine granulated sugar and cinnamon in another bowl. Remove muffins from oven and cool for 2 minutes. Dip eahc muffin in melted butter, then roll in cinnamon sugar to coat. Serve muffins warm or at room temperature.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake

I’ve said it before. I like to bake though I am not the best decorator, which is why I love bundt cakes. They are pretty and don’t require frosting (besides, I don’t really like frosting and usually scrape it off). If you like frosting, don’t worry; you won’t miss it with this cake.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake

Ingredients
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 ¼ cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
¾ teaspoon ground allspice
Pinch of fresh nutmeg
½ teaspoon salt
1 ¼ cups canned solid-pack pumpkin
¾ cup well-shaken buttermilk
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
Chocolate chunks or chocolate chips

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 10 inch bundt pan, then dust with flour, knocking out excess.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, fresh nutmeg, and salt in a bowl. Whisk together pumpkin, buttermilk, and vanilla in a separate bowl.

Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until creamy. Add in eggs one at a time, while mixing on low. On low, add flour and pumpkin mixtures in batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix just until combined, don’t over mix. By hand, stir in the chocolate chunks.

Spoon cake batter into pan, smoothing top. Pound the pan on the counter to settle the batter. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean in the center of cake, about 45- 50 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan, on a rack, for 15 minutes. Invert rack over cake and reinvert cake onto rack. Cool completely before serving. Dust with powdered sugar, if desired.

Pumpkin Nutella Snack Cake

This pumpkin Nutella cake is the perfect dessert because it contains pumpkin, is super easy to make and will steal the show at any gathering. It’s moist and spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. The Nutella really acts as the frosting. Right before you pop it in the oven you swirl big globs of Nutella throughout the pumpkin batter. The rich chocolate hazelnut Nutella really is the “icing on the cake.”

Pumpkin Nutella Snack Cake
Makes 16 snack cakes

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons of cinnamon
½ teaspoon fresh nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup brown sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 cup Nutella

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter and sugars until smooth. Beat in the egg and vanilla until well blended. Add the pumpkin puree. Reduce speed to low, and mix in the flour mixture until just combined.

Spread batter evenly into the prepared pan. Drop tablespoons of Nutella all over the pumpkin cake batter. Swirl in the Nutella with a knife. I wanted the Nutella to stay towards the top, to act as the frosting, so I swirled gently.

Bake for about 35-40 minutes or until the sides pull away from the pan and a toothpick comes out clean. Place cake on a wire rack and cool completely. Cut into squares and serve.

Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake with Creamy Pumpkin Glaze

I’m kind of on a baking kick. Give it a couple more days and I’ll be sick of it. Or not. Baking is really quite comforting and it makes the house smell so good. And, quite frankly, fall and the holidays just brings out the Martha Stewart in me.

This is a really beautiful cake. Because I lack decorating skills, the bundt cake is something I can do that turns out beautifully without all the hard work. Besides, this cake is really good. There’s not much more I can say about it.

Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake with Creamy Pumpkin Glaze

Ingredients
For the cake:
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup butter, softened
4 large eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

For the glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons canned pumpkin
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled

Directions
For the cake:
Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease and flour a 12-cup Bundt pan (I use Pam Baking spray).

Add sugar and butter to a large mixing bowl. Beat on low until light and fluffy.

Slowly add the eggs, one at a time, and continue mixing until well incorporated.

Add the pumpkin, sour cream and vanilla, mixing on slow speed until well blended.

While mixer is still going on slow, add the flour, one cup at a time. Next, add the cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Blend until well incorporated.

Pour cake batter into prepared Bundt cake. Bake for 60 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clear.

For the glaze:
Place powdered sugar in a medium bowl. Slowly whisk milk into the powdered sugar. Continue whisking until no lumps appear.

Continue whisking while adding vanilla, canned pumpkin, cinnamon and melted butter.

Once glaze is smooth, gently pour over the top of the Bundt cake, allowing to drizzle down the side of the cake.

Slice, serve and enjoy.

Praline Upside Down Pumpkin Cake

I love fall. It’s my favorite season of the year. Not too hot. Not too cold. Just perfect. Fall means scarves, hoodies and pumpkin spiced latte. Did I mention I love fall?

I also love fall because it’s time for some of my favorite ingredients like pumpkin, nuts and everything that is awesome! It’s the perfect time to make a Praline Upside Down Pumpkin Cake with a crunchy gooey topping and warm pumpkin spices. A moist and fluffy cake with a crunchy nutty topping, how can you go wrong?

Praline Upside Down Pumpkin Cake

Ingredients 2 stick unsalted butter, melted and divided
¾ cup of brown sugar
¾ cup pecan halves
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
½ cup warm milk

Directions Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread pecan halves on a baking sheet and toast for 5 minutes or until aromatic. Remove from the oven and let cool, chop the pecans into small pieces, set aside.

Melt butter in a small sauce pan. In a 9-by-2-inch round cake pan combine melted butter and brown sugar.

In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, salt, baking powder, and baking soda; set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, eggs, milk, vanilla extract and pumpkin puree together until well combined, about 2 minutes. Add flour mixture; stir with spoon until just combined.

Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake until a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Transfer the cake to a wire rack to cool. Let cake rest 5 minutes.

Place a plate over the cake and invert to unmold cake, let cool completely.