Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Walnut Cake

This is an amazing fall recipe and I made it for work, as usual, and it was an absolute hit. Everyone loved it. It was moist and chocolaty  with the perfect amount of pumpkin.

I have made this recipe before I included the recipe in both posts.  I didn't have any pumpkin spice in the house so I made my own. Recipe below.

original recipe

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake Recipe


Ingredients

1 3/4 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice - I made my own, recipe below
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup canned pure pumpkin
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup whole milk
3/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts


Directions

Preheat oven to 350F. Butter and flour 9x5x2  loaf pan.

Sift first 5 ingredients into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until smooth. Gradually beat in sugar, then beat in eggs 1 at a time. Beat in pumpkin and vanilla. Beat dry ingredients into pumpkin mixture alternately with milk. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Transfer batter to prepared pan.

Bake loaf cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 55 - 65 minutes. Cool in pan on rack 15 minutes. Turn cake out onto rack; cool completely. 


pumpkin pie spice

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground ginger

3/4 teaspoon ground all spice

~Michelle

Pear Pandowdy

It's time for FALL BAKING!!

What do yo do with 4 ripe pears?  You make a pear pandowdy. What is a pandowdy you ask? It is a fruit dessert with a biscuit crust that is sometimes stirred into the fruit before serving.  I tossed this together and took it over to the in-laws house for dessert during the Buffalo Bills game. The cinnamon and pears cooking made the most wonderful smell that the boys couldn't wait to dive right in. The biscuit crust was very delicious I love the flavors. Happy Fall baking.

Pear Pandowdy

Filling

4 cups sliced peeled pears (about 4 pears)
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
3 Tablespoons butter
1 Tablespoon lemon juice

Topping
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon sugar

Directions

Heat oven to 375F. Grease 8-inch square (1 1/2 quart) baking dis or 2-quart casserole. In medium saucepan, combine all filling ingredients. Cook over medium heat until mixture is hot, stirring occasionally.

In small bowl, combine flour, 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder and salt; mix well. Using pastry blender or fork, cut in 1/2 cup butter until mixture forms coarse crumbs. Add water, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Pour hot filling into greased baking dish. Drop topping by rounded tablespoonfuls onto hot filling. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sugar. Bake for 30-40 minutes.  
I used my temptations baking dish. I love using it for baking. 

Contains affiliate links

The recipe is from Pillsbury The Complete Book of Baking

~Michelle

Coconut Lime Cookies

This is my second coconut lime cookies in as many days. The first one was ok I used vanilla chips in them and I think that they overpowered the flavors a bit. I also didn't use actual coconut in the first batch; I used a coconut cream pudding. I didn't take any photos but I will write the recipe.

The second recipe came out much better and the co-workers said they could taste the flavors much better.

Zest and Juice

Coconut Lime Cookies - I liked this recipe

Ingredients:

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
zest of one lime
4 TBSP lime juice
1/2 cup sweetened coconut

1/2 cup sugar for rolling cookies

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
Using a mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until smooth and very fluffy. Beat in egg, vanilla, lime juice and lime zest. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients and coconut. Roll rounded teaspoon full of dough into balls and roll in sugar. Space them 1 1/2 inches apart because they do spread. Bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Let stand on cookie sheet two minutes before removing to cool on wire racks.

The first recipe that I tried went like this.

Coconut-Cream Lime with White Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 TBSP baking soda

1 cup butter

1/4 cup sugar
1 cup light brown sugar

1 package coconut cream pudding

2 eggs

1 TBSP vanilla

2 cups white chips

2 TBSP lime juice

1/2 tsp lime zest

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350F.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and baking soda and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter, brown sugar and white sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in the vanilla pudding mix until well blended, followed by the eggs and vanilla extract.  Blend in the flour mixture slowly, just until incorporated  Finally, by hand, stir in the white chocolate chips until everything is evenly combined and no flour remains at the bottom of the bowl.

Using a cookie scoop (I suggest a 1 1/2 tablespoon scoop) for even portions, scoop the cookies and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Bake 10-12 minutes just until edges are golden brown. Cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes then place on wire racks to cool completely.

~Michelle

I Won a Gift Basket

I did, I won a gift basket.

My Brother is getting married in November.  His bride-to-be is a wonderful woman and I can't wait to have a sister-in-law. I was so happy when they finally got engaged.  Her shower was recently and I made some cake pops for the occasion. I also made the one where you make the chocolate cup, put the cake ball in and dip it in the candy coating.. oh, so yummy.  She loves candy and my cake pops. So I did win a baking gift basket, how perfect, right? I made the Mrs. Fields cupcakes for work and they came out great. Very moist and good flavor. On to the wedding. :)

The Happy Couple

The Bride-to-Be loves my cake pops and I made some to add to the beautiful candy table that her sisters put together.

Look at this beautiful  candy display.

My Gift Basket

The Contents

The Mixes

Cute Kitchen Towels.... from Kitch Towels on Etsy ♥

Confetti cupcakes with homemade strawberry buttercream frosting.

White Cupcakes with canned Vanilla Frosting, I added chocolate chips.

 ~Michelle