Harvest Cake Recipes

APPLE HARVEST CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat 2 cups sugar, oil, eggs, orange juice and vanilla until well blended. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually beat into sugar mixture until blended. Stir in apples. , Spread half of the batter into a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Combine cinnamon and remaining sugar; sprinkle over batter. Carefully spread remaining batter over the top. , Bake at 350° for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Garnish with whipped cream and additional cinnamon if desired.

FROSTED HARVEST CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat the pumpkin, eggs, oil and vanilla until blended. Combine dry ingredients; gradually stir into pumpkin mixture., Pour into a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 20-25 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack. , In a small bowl, beat the butter, cream cheese, vanilla, milk and salt until smooth. Gradually add confectioners' sugar until smooth. Frost cake; cut into bars. Store in the refrigerator.

HARVEST GRAPE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
• Make the batter: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until they lighten in color, 8 to 10 minutes. Slowly add the eggs, milk and 1/4 cup olive oil. Remove the bowl from the mixer and stir the flour mixture into the egg mixture.
• Thoroughly grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform cake pan with the extra butter. Pour the batter into the pan.
• Meanwhile, in a small skillet over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil followed by 1 cup halved grapes. Saute for 1 to 2 minutes, then stud them into the top of cake batter, skin-side up in an even layer. Place cake in the center of the oven. Bake 25 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Meanwhile, slice the remaining grapes into medium thick slices. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the honey in a small saute pan. Bring to a light simmer over low heat. When it bubbles, about 2 to 3 minutes, add the sliced grapes and the lemon juice. Remove from the heat and pour over the cake. Serve with whipped cream.

HARVEST SNACK CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. Combine the eggs, applesauce and vanilla; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in the carrots and raisins (batter will be thick). , Spread evenly in a 13x9-in. baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

APPLE HARVEST POUND CAKE WITH CARAMEL GLAZE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9 inch Bundt pan.
• In a large bowl, beat the sugar, oil, vanilla and eggs with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; stir into the batter just until blended. Fold in the apples and walnuts using a spoon. Pour into the prepared pan.
• Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes in the preheated oven, until a toothpick inserted into the crown or the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool for about 20 minutes then invert on to a wire rack.
• Make the glaze by heating the butter, milk and brown sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar, then remove from the heat. Drizzle over the warm cake. I like to place a sheet of aluminum foil under the cooling rack to catch the drips for easy clean up.

FALL HARVEST CAKE

Steps:

• Mix together sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, ginger, oil, vanilla and eggs.
• Add pumpkin to this mixture and stir well.
• Stir in 2 cups of flour, 1/2 cup at a time.
• Stir in apples and pecans.
• Bake 60-70 minutes at 350 in a greased and floured bundt pan.
• Ice with cream cheese frosting and sprinkle with nuts.

HARVEST CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Place cake mix in bowl.
• Substitute apple cider for whatever the water amount is that the cake box requires.
• Add eggs as required by cake mix.
• Mix well.
• Once batter is moist and mixed well, add pumpkin.
• Pour half of the batter into a greased and floured bundt pan.
• Sprinkle nuts, brown sugar and cinnamon over batter.
• Add remaining batter on top.
• Cook according to mix directions for bundt pan, about 30 to 35 minutes.
• Serve with whipped cream.

HARVEST CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius).
• Lightly butter 3 (9-inch/23-cm) round cake pans.
• If you don't have 3 pans, use disposable 8-1/2-inch (21.6-cm) round foil pans instead.
• Line bottom of pans with a circle of lightly buttered waxed paper.
• To plump raisins, place in a small microwave-safe bowl and drizzle with liqueur. Cover with plastic. Microwave on medium until warm, 1 to 2 minutes. Set aside.
• Peel carrots; grate using large grating disc of a food processor or a box grater. Grated carrots should measure no more than 3-1/2 cups (875 mL). It's important not to use any more or cake will be soggy.
• In a medium-size bowl, using an electric mixer, beat eggs with orange peel, brown sugar, vegetable oil and vanilla until smooth.
• In a large bowl, using a fork, stir flour with baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and allspice.
• Make a well in centre.
• Pour in egg mixture. Stir just until moist.
• Gently stir in carrots, raisins with any remaining liqueur and pine nuts until evenly distributed.
• Scrape into prepared pans and smooth tops.
• Bake in centre of 350 degree Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius) oven until a cake tester inserted in centre of cake comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Cool cakes in pans 10 minutes; turn out onto a cooling rack; cool completely.
• If making ahead, wrap individually in plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 3 days.
• For icing, place cream cheese in a large bowl.
• Using an electric mixer, beat until creamy.
• Beat in icing sugar; add vanilla and orange-flavored liqueur, scraping down sides as needed.
• Stir in 1/3 cup (75 mL) coconut.
• Place 1 cake on a large plate.
• Spread one-third of frosting overtop, just to edges.
• Repeat layering with cakes and frosting to form a triple-decker cake.
• Sprinkle top with remaining 1/3 cup coconut.
• Refrigerate at least 1 hour, or overnight, before serving.
• Slice into wedges and serve.
• Any leftovers will keep well, covered and refrigerated, up to 5 days.

CHOCOLATE HARVEST CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease (and flour) two 9"x1 1/2" round baking pans.
• Combine and whisk all cake ingredients BUT flour and cocoa powder.
• Add flour and cocoa powder and whisk until even.
• Spread evenly into the two pans.
• Bake for 30-35 minutes until top springs back or toothpick comes out clean.
• Let cool.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together Pumpkin Cream Filling ingredients. (Make sure cream cheese is soft enough so you don't end up with cream cheese chunks!).
• Spread Pumpkin Filling on top of one cake and top it with the other.
• Boil whipping cream over medium-high heat.
• Remove from heat and add chocolate, DO NOT stir.
• Wait 5 minutes until chocolate is melty, then stir until smooth and chocolate is liquid.
• Wait until glaze has thickened (10 minutes) and then pour over top of cake.
• Refrigerate cake or let set until glaze is fairly solid (15-30 min).
• OPTIONAL: top with seasonal berries or nuts.

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.