the first noel
While I've been really busy getting busy for Christmas day, obviously I got a lot of baking done. While I didn't get to talk all of the pictures of everything I've done, here are a few pictures.. And even a recipe underneath the cut.
Merry Christmas ♥
Cookies have to start off somewhere.
Some mini decorated Gingerbread cookies. And I bet you guys didn't think I'd get to these for you.
Here's a Santa..
Mario..
..and of course the infamous Naruto cookie.
I ended up having to make this one twice. Both were for parties, but it was a big hit both times. It's called Pumpkin Pie Cake, and since I'm not willing to share my secret Gingerbread cookie recipe, I'll share this one. ♥
Pumpkin Pie Cake
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup egg substitute
2 large eggs
1 (15-ounce) can unsweetened pumpkin
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
Frosting:
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 (8-ounce) package 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
3 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons fresh orange juice
1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted
1. Preheat oven to 350°. To prepare cake pans, coat 2 8-inch round cake pans with cooking spray. Dust pans evenly with some flour.
2. Cream 1 cup granulated sugar, brown sugar, and oil in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed 2 minutes or until well blended. Add egg substitute and eggs; beat until well blended. Add pumpkin, beating until blended.
3. Lightly spoon 2 cups flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in a medium bowl. Gradually add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture, beating just until blended. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes on a wire rack. Remove cake from pans, and cool completely on wire rack.
4. To prepare the frosting, beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until blended. Do not over-beat. Add juice, stirring until blended.
5. Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate. Spread 1 cup frosting over layer, and sprinkle on some pecans. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread remaining frosting over top of cake. Sprinkle again with pecans. Enjoy.
Merry Christmas ♥
Cookies have to start off somewhere.
Some mini decorated Gingerbread cookies. And I bet you guys didn't think I'd get to these for you.
Here's a Santa..
Mario..
..and of course the infamous Naruto cookie.
I ended up having to make this one twice. Both were for parties, but it was a big hit both times. It's called Pumpkin Pie Cake, and since I'm not willing to share my secret Gingerbread cookie recipe, I'll share this one. ♥
Pumpkin Pie Cake
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup egg substitute
2 large eggs
1 (15-ounce) can unsweetened pumpkin
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
Frosting:
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 (8-ounce) package 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
3 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons fresh orange juice
1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted
1. Preheat oven to 350°. To prepare cake pans, coat 2 8-inch round cake pans with cooking spray. Dust pans evenly with some flour.
2. Cream 1 cup granulated sugar, brown sugar, and oil in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed 2 minutes or until well blended. Add egg substitute and eggs; beat until well blended. Add pumpkin, beating until blended.
3. Lightly spoon 2 cups flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in a medium bowl. Gradually add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture, beating just until blended. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes on a wire rack. Remove cake from pans, and cool completely on wire rack.
4. To prepare the frosting, beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until blended. Do not over-beat. Add juice, stirring until blended.
5. Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate. Spread 1 cup frosting over layer, and sprinkle on some pecans. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread remaining frosting over top of cake. Sprinkle again with pecans. Enjoy.