Lots of Friends and Big Parties

Birthdays around our house were a bit different.  My birthday is right before Christmas so it was hard to have parties.  Most of my friends were off at grandma's house or busy with Christmas stuff of their own.  So my birthday was either spent at my grandma's house or spent at home with just family.  When I was really little my mom would wait to put up the Christmas tree until after my birthday so I wouldn't be confused.  As I got older the tree went up long before my birthday, and my birthday presents went under the tree.

A couple years we celebrated my birthday in June so I could have friends over.  Those birthdays were fun.  Lots of friends and big parties.  As I got older, we just celebrated at Christmas time with family.  Not sure why, but I was able to spend a lot more time with my friends at other times so I didn't really care.

When we were little, before we really knew what foods were our favorites, mom would make us cakes for our birthdays.  We each got a Barbie doll cake.  But as we got older, my little sister and I realized that we don't really like cake.  So mom started making icecream cakes for us.  Those were great until both us starting having trouble eating icecream.  We have moved back to cakes for birthdays.  We decided cake was better than nothing. 

I've grown to like cake more and more.  I have collected a few cake recipes over the last few years.  And I got a new one this morning.  Today I'm going to share two recipes with you.  The one I got today, and one that is a great fall cake.

This recipe I found in Country Living Magazine.  They baked two different ways 1) in three round pans each one a little smaller than the other and then they tier it with icing between the layers and 2) in 2 small bundt pans and then put together to look like a pumpkin.  I of course did neither.  I bake it in a bundt pan or in 2 round pans.  If I layer the cake I use an icing (recipe below).  If I bake it as a bundt cake, I drizzle powdered sugar icing (recipe below).

Pumpkin Spice and Pecan Cake*
1 Devil's Food Cake mix
2 tsp pumpkin-pie spice
2/3 cup pumpkin
1/4 cup soften unsalted butter
3 large eggs
1 cup finely chopped pecans
3/4 cup water

Preheat oven to 350.  Lightly butter and flour pan(s) you will be using.  Add all ingredients to mixing bowl and beat on medium until batter is smooth.  Fill pan(s).  Bake until skewer inserted in center of cake comes out clean about 35 minutes for bundt pan or 30 minutes for round pans.  Cool completely on wire racks before icing.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Icing (used for layered cake)
1(8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup pumpkin
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Mix all ingredients together until smooth in mixer. Add more powdered sugar if needed.

Powdered Sugar Icing
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tsp milk
1/2 tsp vanilla (leave out if you want white frosting)

In mixer with whisk attachment, mix powdered sugar, milk & vanilla.  Add powdered sugar or milk to achieve the consistency you are looking for.

For the layered cake, frost between the two layers and on top.  For the bundt cake, drizzle icing over cake.

My second recipe I got today, is also a chocolate pumpkin cake, but it is far healthier.  I saw this recipe on Rachael Ray this morning.

Healthy Chocolate Pumpkin Cake
1 Devil's Food Cake
1 - 15 oz can pumpkin

Mix the two ingredients together and bake according to the instructions on the box.  You do not need to add the other ingredients.  Adding the pumpkin instead of the eggs, oil, & water decreases the calories and fat in the cake and adds fiber.  It tastes just like chocolate cake.

I have not made this recipe yet, however I have done something similar with a spice cake mix to make cookies.  I couldn't believe it would work but it does and is very good.

*Country Living October 2008 pg 160