Sugar, spice heat up fall as weather cools

TAMI BICKLEY
Associate Editor

As a light chill moves in for autumn evenings, folks who live in the Valley may eagerly break out their cool-weather attire and wool afghans. For desert dwellers, there is perhaps no greater time of change and anticipation than the seasonal transition from summer to fall.

So this would be an opportune time to add new spice to your life - culinary spice. An abundance of seasonal apples, cranberries and pumpkin, plus other fall favorites such as hot java, hazelnut and cinnamon make for unbelievable desserts that will have you forgetting about low-calorie fruit smoothies.

Apple Buttermilk Spice Cake (Dairy)

1 pkg. spice cake mix (available at most food stores)
1 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1/4 cup maple syrup, divided
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 cups peeled, grated tart apples
1 cup chopped nuts
1 container buttercream frosting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 13x9-inch baking pan. Combine cake mix, buttermilk, oil, eggs, 2 Tbsp. syrup and cinnamon in a large bowl. Beat at low speed until moistened. Then beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Stir in apples and nuts. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 35-40 minutes until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool completely. Mix remaining 2 Tbsp. syrup with frosting. Frost cake.

Lemon Cranberry Biscotti (Dairy)

1 pkg. white cake mix
1 cup flour
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 cup chopped, dried sweetened cranberries
1/2 cup chopped nuts
2 Tbsp. grated lemon rind
Semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips melted (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Combine cake mix, flour, butter, eggs and vanilla in large bowl. Beat at low speed until well blended. Mix in cranberries, nuts and lemon rind. Divide dough in half. Shape each half into a 12x2-inch log; place logs on prepared baking sheets. Bake each log separately for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool on baking sheets for 15 minutes Using a serrated knife, cut logs into 1/2-inch slices and arrange slices on baking sheets. Bake slices 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove to cooling racks and cool completely. Dip one end of biscotti in melted chocolate, if desired. Allow chocolate to set at room temperature before storing in airtight container.

Pumpkin Streusel Coffee Cake (Dairy)

1 pkg. yellow cake mix, divided
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup sour cream
4 eggs
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice, divided
2 Tbsp. brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan. Reserve 2 Tbsp. cake mix. Combine remaining cake mix, pumpkin, sour cream, eggs, sugar, water and 1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice in a large bowl. Beat at low speed until moistened. Then beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour into pan. In a small bowl, combine reserved cake mix, brown sugar and remaining 1/2 tsp. pie spice. Sprinkle on top of batter. Bake 50-60 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool in pan 25 minutes. Invert into cooling rack. Turn right side up. Cool completely.

All recipes from Family Features

Home