Pumpkin Pie Cake

This was the one Lynn and I made for Claire's Open House.  The perfect dessert to serve in the fall. Super tasty- Like pumpkin pie, but with a yummy topping. Serve it hot or cold with a bit of whip cream.  I do find that it is better the first day because the crust does get a little soggy when it sits.

Pumpkin Pie Cake

Mix together:

Bottom Crust

1 box yellow cake mix

1⁄2 C. butter, melted

1 egg, beaten

Save one cup of this mixture and press the rest in bottom of buttered cake pan ( 9X13 or 10X15)

Filling:

1-29 oz. Can pumpkin

1 1⁄2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. ginger

1⁄2 tsp. ground cloves

1 can evaporated milk

Mix and pour over crust.

Topping:

1 cup of the saved crust mixture

1⁄2 cup sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

1⁄4 cup soft butter

Mix topping and sprinkle on top. (Mine usually isn’t crumbly, so I make little pancakes of the topping

and drop it on top.) Bake at 350 degrees for 55-60 minutes or until knife test proves done.

Chocolate Mint Brownies

     These are my favorite brownies.  I love the mint but Bryan likes me to make a section without. The brownie recipe and glaze are delish without the mint.

Chocolate Mint Brownies                                                                                                    

1 c butter                                                                                 1½ c flour

2 c sugar                                                                                  1 tsp salt

4 eggs                                                                                      2/3 c cocoa

2 tsp vanilla

     Cream butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla.  Add dry ingredients. Spread in greased and floured 10x15 inch pan.  Bake at 350* for 20 minutes.  Cool in fridge then frost with mint filling.

    Mint Filling

            1 lb. powdered sugar                                                  ½ -1 tsp. mint extract

            6 Tbsp melted butter                                                   2-3 drops red or green

            3 Tbsp. evaporated milk                                                       food coloring

                Combine all ingredients. Mixture will be very thick.  Spread on brownies and cool again in fridge.  Top with chocolate glaze

    Chocolate Glaze

            3 Tbsp butter                                                              ½ tsp vanilla

            3 Tbsp water                                                               1 ½ c powdered sugar

            3 Tbsp cocoa     

             Melt butter. Add cocoa and water.  Stir constantly. Do not boil.  Remove from heat.  Cool slightly.  Blend in 1 ½ c powdered sugar and vanilla.  Pour over top.

Pam's Pumpkin Bars

My friend, Pam, has some great recipes.  She helps her friends with receptions and this is one that she gave me for my son and daughter-in-laws wedding reception. My daughter-in-law's favorite dessert is Pumpkin Pie but that is too messy to serve so this fit the bill perfectly.

Pam’s Pumpkin Bars

1 Yellow Cake Mix (Reserve 1 cup)

½ cup butter, melted

1 egg

-Mix above ingredients (except reserved 1 cup cake mix), pat into bottom of a 9”x13” pan.

1 large can pumpkin

3 eggs

¼ tsp salt

2/3 c evaporated milk

1 cup sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp ginger

½ tsp nutmeg

¼ tsp cloves

-Mix all ingredients and pour over cake mixture in pan

1 cup reserved cake mix

¼ cup flour

¼ cup sugar

¼ cup softened butter

-Mix until crumbly.  Sprinkle over pumpkin mixture.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until knife inserted into middle comes out clean.  Serve with whipped cream.