A Long Time Ago, Eliot Turned Five

I can't believe I never posted this party. Eliot wanted a "smash cake" which to me is like a piñata cake without the blindfold or the bat. Okay, so it's nothing like a piñata after all. you just "dig in." Here's the goodies lying in wait.

Now take a look at all the festivities that Laura made, 

which was difficult because this pregnancy has been so super hard on her. 

This is my unpainted skinny Santa wood, waiting for me to decorate it. I bought it before Christmas last year, and it's still waiting. This year isn't looking too good for it either, so maybe NEXT year it will finally get finished. We'll see. I'm not holding my breath here. But it made for a glorious this-a-way that-a-way sign holder. 

Laura had sun visors made out of paper plates for the kids to decorate and wear. 

Slippin' 

and Slidin'!

Piñata water balloons!

Water balloon catch...or masks...or? 

Water balloon sling-shots

Let's dig in! 

Happy Birthday #5 Eliot! 

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

Bad lighting- good cupcake! I made cupcakes to take to the Empty Nester's party last night. Because we had a funeral which filled up most of my hours yesterday, I got up early and made some pumpkin cupcakes. They failed completely. When I got home from the funeral proceedings, I threw the pumpkin cupcakes in the trash and started over. I had one hour from start to finish to get these done. We were ten minutes late to the party, which was ten minutes too late and most of the food was gone by the time we got through the line. There was an unbalance between salads and desserts, with way more desserts. Maybe that's why only three people took a cupcake (besides Bud and his daughter, Lynda). Too bad for the rest of them, because these were really good. Really good.

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes
1 spice cake mix (I used Duncan Hines)
1 pumpkin spice instant Jell-O (small)
2 eggs
1/3 cup oil
1 1/4 cup water
Beat all ingredients on low speed for 30 seconds, then beat on medium speed for two minutes. Scoop into liners and bake for 18-22 minutes at 350°F. until a toothpick tests clean with no crumbs attached. Remove from oven and cool for five minutes in the pan and then put them in a large baking pan and cover with plastic wrap until completely cool.
Pumpkin Frosting
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1-2 cups powdered sugar (depending on how sweet you want it)
1 carton (8 oz) Cool Whip (I used Pastry Pride)
Beat cream cheese for three minutes and then add pumpkin and spice, and powdered sugar. Beat until creamed. Fold in Cool Whip, (or whip Pastry Pride until thick) and fold in pumpkin mixture. Top with Pumpkin Spice M&M's or sprinkles, and dust lightly with pumpkin pie spice.

Pumpkin Yumkin Cake

We had game night tonight. I thought if I fed our company enough sugar they'd all be comatose and I'd win the game. The reverse happened, and my "team" came in last place, but that doesn't matter, we still had fun. If you make this cake, you'll be the winner.

Pumpkin Torte (adapted from Taste of Home Ultimate Halloween Special Edition)
1 yellow cake mix (I used Duncan Hines)
1 can (15 oz) solid-pack pumpkin, divided
1/2 cup milk
4 eggs
1/3 cup oil
1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (divided)
8 oz cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
1 (16 oz) container Cool Whip (thawed), or equivalent of sweetened whipping cream or Pastry Pride
1/4 cup caramel ice cream topping
1/3 cup macadamia nuts, chopped (optional)
Heat oven to 350°F. Beat together 1 cup pumpkin, milk, eggs, oil, 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice until well blended. Add cake mix and beat on low speed for 30 seconds and on medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour into two greased and floured (or sprayed with Baker's Joy, or similar) 9-inch round pans. Bake for 25 minutes, or until toothpick tests clean. Remove from oven, cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack.
Meanwhile, beat the cream cheese until smooth, then mix in the powdered sugar, remaining pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice, again beating until smooth. Fold in the Cool Whip (or whipped cream or Pastry Pride. I personally whipped up about a liquid cup of Pastry Pride).
When cake is cool, split layers in half horizontally. Place one split layer on serving plate and pipe (or frost) a fourth of the frosting onto that layer, repeating the process three times. Drizzle with caramel topping (it will work better if the topping is cold. Straight from the pantry is too warm and it soaks into the cake...which isn't a bad thing per se, but it doesn't look as amazing as it would if the caramel was thicker. Sprinkle with nuts, if desired. Refrigerate any leftovers.
Just wait until I turn this into cupcakes! A little caramel syrup plunged into the cupcake, topped with that unbelievable frosting, maybe a few sprinkles or a candy creme pumpkin on top, drizzled with a little more caramel...?

Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes

I made these last weekend for a church dinner. Cherry chip cake with hot fudge squirted inside, topped with Pastry Pride, more hot fudge, sprinkles and a cherry.

This time, I wanted to make something with peanut butter and chocolate.  

I have a pan that holds a treat up inside of the cupcake. I tried it two ways- first I put the Reese's® peanut butter cup on the spike and the put the batter into the liner, shaking the pan a bit to settle the batter around the chocolate. 

The second way was putting the batter in first and then adding the pb cup to the spike. I think the second way worked better.  It showed through, but I didn't mind that. 

I used my regular chocolate frosting and topped it with Reese's Pieces mini's. 

I thought it still looked a little plain, so I mixed up a sprinkle concoction and finished it that way. I think if I make these again, I will change the frosting to a peanut butter and chocolate frosting swirl. That would be awesome. 

Peanut Butter Cupcakes

1 Duncan Hines Butter Golden cake mix 

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup sour cream

3 eggs

1/4 cup water

Reese's ® peanut butter cups (miniature), optional

In your mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients except the cake mix and the pb cups, and beat until blended. Add the cake mix and beat on medium speed for two minutes. Bake at 350°F for 15-18 minutes unless you've added a Reese's ® miniature peanut butter cup to the batter, and then they will need to bake for 18-21 minutes. Top with your favorite frosting. 

xoxo, Patti

Apple Puffed Pancake

Yesterday we went apple picking, so this morning we had this! It was devoured immediately.
Apple Puffed Pancake
6 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup flour (all-purpose)
3 T granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup butter
2 apples, peeled and thinly sliced
2-3 T brown sugar
Preheat oven to 425°F. In a blender, mix eggs, milk, flour, granulated sugar, vanilla, salt and cinnamon. Pulse briefly to blend. If you have one fluted porcelain quiche dish that's 12 inches across, you can use that. If you don't, you can use two that are 9 inches across, or you can use a 9x13 baking dish.
Place the butter in your pan(s) and put it in the oven to melt the butter. When the butter is melted, add the apple slices to the butter and return the dish to the oven. When the butter starts to sizzle (in a couple of minutes), remove the pan and pour the batter over the top of the apples. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Return the pan to the oven and bake for 20 minutes.
Your pancake will get puffy while it's baking but will fall slightly after you pull it from the oven. Serve immediately. Serves 6 (if some of them are children).