Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake

Ingredients:

8 oz Dark Chocolate

1 3/4 lb Cream Cheese

6 eggs

1 1/2 c. Sugar

2 tsp. Vanilla

1 c. Pumpkin

2 Tbl. Flour

1/4 tsp. Cinamon

1/4 tsp. Nutmeg

1/8 tsp. Cloves

1 tsp. Salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Melt dark chocolate and set aside. In mixer, combine 3/4 lb cream cheese and 3/4 cup sugar and beat until smooth. Add 3 eggs, 1 at a time scraping down the bowl between each egg. Add vanilla and put into spring form pan. Place in refrigerator.

Sift together flour, salt and spices. In mixer, combine 1 lb. cream cheese and 3/4 c. sugar and beat until smooth. Add 3 eggs, 1 at a time scraping down the bowl between each egg. Add vanilla, spices and pumpkin. Slowly pur the pumpkin cheesecake batter over the dark chocolate layer.

I use basic gingersnap crust (Anna's Ginger Thins) and melted butter.

Bake in water bath for 70-120 minutes.

Pumpkin Cake

3 cups sugar

3 cups flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 Tablespoon baking soda
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
3/4 tea salt
1 1/2 cups melted unsalted butter
3 1/4 cups canned pumpkin
3 eggs, lightly beaten

Blend together the sugar, flour, baking powder, soda, cinnamon, and salt with a mixer at medium speed until well mixed. Add the melted butter and continue to beat until the dry ingredients are moistened. Add the pumpkin and mix again until well blended. Add the eggs and blend 1 minute longer. Do not over mix.

Turn the batter into 3 lightly greased, paper-lined 9-inch cake pans. Smooth the batter with a spatula so that the cake will be level when baked. Bake at 325 degrees for 40 minutes or until done. Cool on racks. Frost with the Bailey's Irish Cream frosting.

Frosting for the Pumpkin Cake:

1 pound powdered sugar
3 stick (1 1/2 cups) softened high quality butter , like Plugra. (Available at Trader Joe's.)
2 Tablespoons Bailey's Irish cream. Available at your local liquor store. Don't drink it or you will have to have a chat with Bishop Ainge.
1/2 cup flour

Combine the sugar, butter, flour and Bailey's Irish cream. Mix until blended.

Margarita Cake

13/4 c. sugar

1/2 c. butter, softened

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

3 eggs

1 tbsp. grated lemon zest

1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

21/2 c. flour

1 c. lemon yogurt

Lime Glaze-

1/2 c. sugar

2 tbsp. fresh lime juice

1 tbsp. water

1 tbsp. tequila (optional)

Whipped Cream

Cake- Preheat oven to 350 deg. Combine the sugar, butter, baking soda, and salt in mixing bowl and beat until blended. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating well and scraping the bowl after each addition. Mix in the lemon zest and lemon juice. Add the flour and yogurt alternately, beating well after each addition.

Spoon the batter into a greased and floured 9x13 pan. Bake for 25-30 min. or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 15 min.

Glaze- Combine sugar, lime juice, and water in a saucepan and mix well. Cook until the sugar dissolves, stirring frequently. Stir in tequila (if using).

Assembly- Invert the warm cake onto a serving platter and brush with the glaze until it is all assorbed. Let stand until cool. Slice and garnish each piece with a dollop of whipped cream and a lime slice or a strawberry.

Banana Bread Pudding

This recipe originally called for 1/3 cup raisins and 1/2 cup of toasted pecans. My kids prefer chocolate chips with the bananas so that's how I make it now.

2 T. plus 1/4 cup dark rum (I use apple juice if I don't have)

2 T. butter

3 bananas, peeled, halved crosswise and then lengthwise into planks. Be generous - I usually brown four just in case

5 T. sugar

2 cups whipping cream

4 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

semi-sweet chocolate chips

8 oz. firm white bread sliced into strips. Trim heavy crusts.

Melt 2 T. butter in skillet over medium heat. Add bananas and 2T. sugar and cook bananas until tender - about 2 minutes per side. They will turn golden brown. Remove from heat. Combine whipping cream, eggs, vanilla, rum and 3 T. sugar - whisk

Preheat oven to 350. Butter 9 x 5 x 3 pan. Arrange 1/3 of bread strips crosswise in bottom of pan. Arrange 6 banana pieces atop bread. Sprinkle with choc. chips (or raisins and pecans). Arrange 1/3 of bread strips crosswise atop bananas. Pour half of egg mixture over. Arrange remaining banana pieces atop bread. Sprinkle with remaining choc. chips. Arrange remaining bread strips crosswise atop bananas. Pour remaining egg mixture over. Press gently on top layer to compact. Let stand 15 minutes. Bake until gold and puffy - about 45 minutes. Drizzle with Rum Sauce.

Rum Sauce

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1/2 cup whipping cream

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

pinch of salt

2 T. rum

Since it's on the same page in my recipe book, I'll give you what my Grandma (and me) always use for drizzling over any warm cake. I love even to warm a cranberry muffin or something like that and put this simple sauce over for dessert. You could replace it for any of the sauces above for a simpler taste. It's great with a little cinnamon added as well.

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup evaporated milk

Remove from heat add 1 tsp. vanilla

Cinnamon Bread pudding

8 large eggs

3 1/2 cups whole milk

2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups whipping cream

1 tsp. vanilla

1 - 1 pound loaf cinnamon challah or cinnamon swirl bread, cut in 1 inch cubes

1 cup golden raisins (sometimes the challah bread I buy has raisins so I do not add extra in that case)

I didn't do it last night, but if I'm feeling chocolate, I sprinkle in a few semi-sweet chips.

Butter 13x9 baking dish. Whisk eggs in large bowl to blend. Add milk, sugar, cream, and vanilla; whisk to blend well. Stir in bread and raisins. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350. Bake uncovered until puffed and golden, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Cool slightly. Serve with Spiced Rum Sauce.

Spiced Rum Sauce

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/2 cup whipping cream

2 T. spiced rum or dark rum (I've used this before - it cuts the sweet a bit - but I didn't have it last night - just makes the sauce more caramelly without it)

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Stir brown sugar and butter over medium heat until melted and smooth - about 2 minutes. Add cream, rum, and cinnamon and bring to simmer. Simmer until sauce thickens - about 5 minutes. Can be prepared ahead and rewarmed.

I often add more cream than is called for - to taste - I don't like it too sweet. Like anything's not going to make this too sweet! ;)

Brindlewood Inn Carrot Cake

Makes 12 servings

2 cups carrots - finely shredded

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

1 cup crushed pineapple - well drained

4 eggs

2 cups sugar

2 cups flour

2 t baking soda

1 t salt

1 t cinnamon

1 t nutmeg

1/2 t ground cloves

pinch or ground ginger

1 cup raisins (optional)

Mix together carrots, oil, pineapple, eggs, sugar. Add remaining ingredients. Pour into two 10 inch round pans (must be 10 inches - its a big cake). Bake for 45 minutes, checking after 30 minutes. Bake only until cake springs back when touched. Cool 15 minutes in the pans on wire racks. Remove from pans and place on racks until completely cool. Bake at 350 F.

Frosting

2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese

2 sticks butter

4 cups powdered sugar

1 T vanilla

12 oz. shredded coconut

2 cups chopped pecans or walnuts

Cream butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add vanilla and powdered sugar. Add coconut and nuts. Chill for 1/2 hour before spreading on completely cooled cake.

Chocolate Bunt Cake

Makes 12 servings

1 Duncan Hines Devils Food Cake Mix

1 (4 oz) instant chocolate pudding

1/2 cup oil

1/2 cup water

4 eggs

2 t vanilla, mint or peppermint

1 (8-oz.) sour cream

1 (12 oz.) chocolate chips

Mix together the cake mix, pudding mix, oil, water, eggs, and flavoring. Add sour cream and chocolate chips. Bake for 40-45 minutes. Bake at 350 F.