Frosted Harvest Cake Recipes

HARVEST CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Grease or spray one 9-inch and one 8-inch round cake pan.
• In large bowl, beat 1 box cake mix, 1 cup of the apple cider, 1/3 cup of the butter, 3 of the eggs, 1/4 teaspoon of the cinnamon and 1/8 teaspoon of the nutmeg with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the ginger and 1/2 cup of the pecans. Pour into pans.
• Bake and cool as directed on box for 9-inch and 8-inch rounds.
• Meanwhile, place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups. Make cake batter as directed above, using remaining cake mix, apple cider, butter, eggs, cinnamon and 1/8 teaspoon of the nutmeg. Stir in remaining ginger and pecans. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. Bake as directed on box for cupcakes. Cool 10 minutes in pans; remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Stir 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg into each container of frosting. Fill and frost cake layers with frosting, placing 9-inch layer on bottom. Remove paper baking cups from 9 cupcakes. Arrange 5 cupcakes upside down on top of cake (cut off thin layer from tops with serrated knife, if necessary, to make tops flat). Frost sides and tops. Center 3 cupcakes upside down on first layer of cupcakes; frost sides and tops. Place 1 cupcake upside down on top; frost.
• Decorate cake with candies. Squeeze green decorating icing through drawing tip to make vines. Frost and decorate remaining cupcakes with candies, or wrap and freeze for another use. Store cake loosely covered.

FROSTED CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Place egg whites in a large bowl; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes. In a small bowl, mix cocoa and boiling water until smooth; cool slightly. Line bottoms of 2 greased 9-in. round baking pans with parchment; grease parchment., Preheat oven to 375°. Cream butter, brown sugar and 3/4 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla and 1 egg yolk at a time. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt. Add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating after each addition. Stir in cocoa mixture., With clean beaters, beat egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high after each addition until sugar is dissolved. Continue beating until stiff peaks form. Fold into batter. Transfer to prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 23-28 minutes., Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks; remove parchment. Cool completely., Beat together first 4 frosting ingredients. Spread between layers and over top and sides of cake. If desired, dust top lightly with cocoa.

HARVEST POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 12-cup fluted tube cake pan. In large bowl, beat granulated sugar, oil, vanilla and eggs with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in flour, salt and baking soda until smooth. Stir in apples and nuts. Pour into pan.
• Bake 1 hour to 1 hour 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 20 minutes. Remove from pan to cooling rack.
• In 2-quart saucepan, heat all glaze ingredients to boiling, stirring occasionally. Boil 2 minutes, stirring constantly; remove from heat. Spoon glaze over warm cake.