Delicious Recipes For Fall Break

With the leaves beginning to change and a briskness in the air, I figured that this would be the perfect time to share some of my favorite fall recipes. These goodies must be shared with friends and will definitely be a hit at home over this long weekend.
 
The first recipe is for pumpkin cupcakes with cinnamon cream cheese frosting. They embody the essence of fall and are sure to become a favorite dessert. So here it goes.

 
Pumpkin cupcakes with cinnamon cream cheese frosting
You Will Need:
For cupcakes

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 cup pumpkin puree

For frosting

• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

 
What to do:

1. 1. First combine the the flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, allspice, salt, baking powder, and baking soda; set aside.
2. 2. Next beat 1/2 cup of butter (make sure it’s softened), white sugar, and brown sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add the room-temperature eggs one at a time, allowing each egg to blend into the butter mixture before adding the next. Stir in the milk and pumpkin puree after the last egg.
3. 3. After that slowly stir in the flour mixture, mixing until just incorporated.
4. 4. Pour the batter into greased muffin cups or cups lined with muffin papers. The batter will make approximately 24 regular sized cupcakes or 16 large cupcakes.
5. 5. Bake at 375 for about 25 minutes-until golden and the tops spring back when lightly pressed. If you are making larger cupcakes they will take slightly longer to cook. Cool in the pans for 5 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.
6. 6. To make the start by beating the cream cheese and 1/4 cup of butter with an electric mixer in a bowl until smooth. Then slowly beat in the confectioners’ sugar a little at a time until incorporated. Add the vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; beat until fluffy.
7. 7. Once the cupcakes are cool, frost with the cream cheese icing.
8. **Important note: Cream cheese frosting is often creamer (and less stiff) than other frostings. Be sure not to leave frosted cupcakes in a warm place or the frosting will melt.

Finally, ENJOY!
 
The next treat is perfect if you are looking to make something sweet for Halloween…

 
Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
What You’ll Need:
For the cookies:

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 cup vegetable shortening
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

        
For The Filling

•       4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
•       1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
•       1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
•       1/4 cup canned solid pack pumpkin
•       Pinch of cinnamon
•       Pinch of nutmeg

 
What to do:

1. Prepare cookies: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl; set aside
2. Place butter, shortening, and sugars into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on high speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add egg; mix until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in half the flour mixture, then the milk and vanilla. Mix in remaining flour mixture.
3. Drop about 2 teaspoons dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake until cookies spring back when lightly touched, 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer baking sheets to wire racks and let cool 10 minutes. Remove cookies from baking sheets and transfer to wire racks using a spatula; let cool completely
4. Prepare filling: In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip together cream cheese, butter, and confectioners’ sugar on medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg; whip until smooth, scraping down the bowl as necessary.
5. Spoon about 2 teaspoons of filling on the flat sides of half the cookies. Sandwich the remaining cookies, keeping the flat sides down.

 
The final recipe is one of my all time favorites. It’s a little bit more difficult to make and waiting for the cheesecake to harden can be frustrating, but I assure you that it is worth the wait. Have fun!
 

Pumpkin Cheesecake
What You’ll Need:

• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 2 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 2 3/4 cups sugar
• Salt
• 2 pounds cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 15-ounce can pure pumpkin
• 6 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 cups sweetened whipped cream
• 1/3 cup toasted pecans, roughly chopped

 
What To Do:

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Brush a 10-inch springform pan with some of the butter. Stir the remaining butter with the crumbs, 1/4 cup of the sugar and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the pan, packing it tightly and evenly. Bake until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool on a rack, then wrap the outside of the springform pan with foil and place in a roasting pan.
3. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, beat the cream cheese with a mixer until smooth. Add the remaining 2 1/2 cups sugar and beat until just light, scraping down the sides of the bowl and beaters as needed. Beat in the sour cream, then add the pumpkin, eggs, vanilla, 1 teaspoon salt and the spices and beat until just combined. Pour into the cooled crust.
4. Gently place the roasting pan in the oven (don’t pull the rack out) and pour the boiling water into the roasting pan until it comes about halfway up the side of the springform pan. Bake until the outside of the cheesecake sets but the center is still loose, about 1 hour 45 minutes. Turn off the oven and open the door briefly to let out some heat. Leave the cheesecake in the oven for 1 more hour, then carefully remove from the roasting pan and cool on a rack. Run a knife around the edges, cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight.
5. Bring the cheesecake to room temperature 30 minutes before serving. Unlock and remove the springform ring. To finish, place a dollop of the whipped cream on each slice and sprinkle with the toasted pecans.