Warm Welcome

With temperatures dropping, these three rustic cakes are sure to fill the belly and warm the spirit

Photos by Dottie Rizzo

Piece of Cake: layers of a pumpkin pecan cake are spiced just right.

Double Chocolate Bundt Cake

Pumpkin Pecan Cake

Blueberry Breakfast Cake

Double Chocolate Bundt Cake

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup butter (room temperature)

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

3 large eggs

2 large egg whites

1/3 cup coffee (cooled)

2/3 cup milk

2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup heavy cream

Preparation

Heat the oven to 350°F

Generously grease and flour a 12-cup Bundt cake pan.

In a bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Whisk well to blend thoroughly.

In a large mixing bowl, combine butter and the granulated sugar. Mix using hand mixer until light and fluffy.

Beat the eggs and egg whites into the sugar mixture and then beat in the 1 tablespoon of vanilla.

In a small bowl, combine the coffee and milk.

Beat about one-third of the cocoa and flour mixture into the sugar mixture, then beat in half of the coffee and milk mixture. Repeat with another one-third of the flour mixture and the remaining coffee and milk mixture. Add the remaining one-third of the flour mixture and beat until well blended.

Spoon the batter into the prepared Bundt cake pan.

Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick or wood skewer comes out clean when inserted in the cake.

Cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes, then turn onto the rack to cool completely.

Combine semisweet chocolate and heavy whipping cream in a saucepan over medium heat. Heat until the cream starts to bubble around the edges.

Remove from the heat, and stir until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth. Pour over bundt cake.

Pumpkin Pecan Cake

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon ground clove

3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon salt 1

1/3 cups shortening

2 1/2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs

15 oz can pumpkin puree

1 cup pecans plus 1/2 cup, chopped

8 oz cream cheese

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preparation

Preheat oven to 300° and grease and flour (2) 9 inch cake pans. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat shortening, sugar, eggs, vanilla and pumpkin puree until creamy.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt together. set aside.

Mix flour mixture into pumpkin mixture until well combined. Stir in 1 cup of pecans. Spoon into pans, 3/4 full (mixture will be thick). Bake for approximately 50-60 minutes or until wooden tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let cool in pans for 10 minutes, then remove from pans and place on cooling rack.

In a medium mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and butter together until creamy. Add vanilla, powdered sugar, and cinnamon, mix well.

Slowly add powdered sugar and beat until creamy.

Frost once cake has cooled completely, adding frosting between each layer and on top. Sprinkle remaining pecans on top of frosted cake.

Blueberry Breakfast Cake

Ingredients

1 cup all purpose flour plus 1 teaspoon of flour (plus more for prepping cake pan)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon lemon zest (optional)

2 cups blueberries, rinsed and drained

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Powdered sugar for dusting

Optional frosting for dipping:

1/4 cup salted butter, melted

3 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

6-8 teaspoons heavy cream

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly butter an 8 or 9-inch springform pan and dust with flour.

Vigorously whisk together flour with baking powder, salt, and cinnamon and set aside.

Using a mixer, beat the butter on medium high speed for 2 minutes. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy, 2 more minutes. Stir in the vanilla extract.

Add the eggs one at a time and beat until well blended. Stir in the lemon zest if using.

Reduce the speed of the mixer to low and slowly add the flour mixture, beating until smooth.

Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan.

Combine the berries with the lemon juice in a bowl and toss. Spoon the berries over the batter.

Bake on middle rack in oven for 50 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Remove from oven and let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes.

Remove cake from pan and transfer to a platter, berry side up. Dust the cake with powdered sugar.

Serve as-is or with optional dipping frosting below.

Dipping frosting:

In a large Pyrex 4 cup measuring glass, whisk together all of the ingredients until smooth. Start with 6 teaspoons of cream and then work your way until you reach the consistency you desire.

Serve in small bowls with cake.