Gooey Pumpkin Bars

Holy Fall... where did my Summer go.... started on Wednesday the 24th.

This blog was going to be finished on Thursday, but that did not happened. I took Friday as a vacation day, to get some stuff and go boating with my husband. I ran and went to yoga, got just a few things done. We did go boating, it was about 83 degrees and just beautiful. We had an absolutely wonderful day.

This is my cocktail on the back end of the boat. 

I did  not go into the water and neither did the cocktail,
To cold for me, but the sun felt fabulous

My Coconut Ginger Fizz

Makes 2 drinks

2 shots of coconut vodka

1 bottle of Sobe Coconut Life water

1 can of Schweppes Diet Ginger Ale

ice.

Add all ingredients together, stir, and pour over ice into 2 nice size glasses. 

The Only calories are from the Vodka. Light and Refreshing. 

The perfect summer - Early fall drink

I made I pan of  these pumpkin bars for 2 events. This base is similar to a prior blog (12/13/13 ).This is an easy recipe, any novice baker can whip these up. You could cut this recipe in half if you wanted to. I made the full pan, and everyone devoured them. The first tastes of Fall are always the funnest. 

I pulled out one of my Fall dishes. 

Always trying to improve my photo skills. 

There is room for loads of improvement

Gooey Pumpkin Bars
modified from pickypalate.com
Ingredients
1 box Yellow cake mix
2 large eggs
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, solftened
15 ounce can pumpkin puree
8 ounces marshmallow creme
14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
1 large egg
1/2 cup cinnamon chips
1/2 cup pecans, chopped

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9 x 13 baking pan with foil and spray with cooking spray.

Place cake mix, eggs, butter into large bowl with a paddle attachment. Mix until well combined. This will be like thick cookie dough. Place dough into pan. Spray your hands with cooking spray and smash down the dough. Cover the entire bottom of the pan.

Place pumpkin puree, marshmallow creme, and condensed milk into mixing bowl. Blend until fully incorporated. Pour over the entire crust. Gently drop the cinnamon chips all over the pumpkin mixture. Then place the pecans over the chips. Place in the oven and bake for 50-55 minutes. Center will be somewhat soft, but will set up while it cools

Let cool completely and serve. EAT up my Fall Friends

There is 1 egg not photographed.

It went all rogue on me and ended up on the floor. Augh.

I love Cinnamon chips. . I could really eat the whole bag.

I would allow myself one at a time. Otherwise, I would have 

needed another bag... I keep my chips in the freezer,
they really last a long time in there. Cost effective

The cake, 2 eggs and softened butter

The pumpkin batter and then the cinnamon chips
There are small lumps of marshmallow creme throughout

Chopped pecans and ready for the oven

Baked for 55 minutes.
These are deep size pieces. If you went with a
10x14 pan. I would think 45 minutes would be enough time

Delicious and heavenly pieces of Fall goodness. 

German Chocolate Cheesecake Cake

My next door neighbor made a request. She loves German Chocolate Cake and wanted it for her birthday cake. HELLO, so does most of my family. My baby sister has it every year for her birthday cake. My Mom has always made this cake forever. The melding of the brown sugar, pecans and coconut with the chocolate cake. Heavenly. So, I stumbled upon this delightful recipe. Combine German Chocolate cake with Cheesecake... WOW .. is it. This cake was just amazing. TOTALLY kicking it up a notch. My neighbor and her family thought it was delicious. My Husband stated that it was perfectly delicious and not to change a thing. Please make again.

  

Layers of amazing flavors that melt in your mouth

(improved photo skills)

NOTE: if you put this into 2 8" cake pans, shorten your cook time. You should have enough frosting to cover both layers, but not the sides.

This recipe does have a few steps. Please do not let that stop you. It is really very easy and does not take a long time. It is well worth the effort. This recipe call for a box cake. I amp up my box cakes, so you can either follow my recipe for the cake or make your own chocolate cake. When I made this cake, I was cutting my time short, (excuse) but homemade cake has less preservatives. DO what you want.

German Chocolate Cheesecake Cake

adapted from mommyskitchen.net

Ingredients

Cake

1 dark chocolate cake mix

1 small package chocolate pudding (cook & serve)

3 eggs 

1/2 cup oil

1 1/2 cups milk

3/4 cup yogurt, plain or vanilla

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Filling

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

2 8-oz packages cream cheese, softened

4 eggs 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Coconut Pecan Frosting

1 12 oz can evaporated milk

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, cubed

3 egg yolks, slightly beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups flaked coconut

1 1/ cups chopped pecans

Directions

Set oven to 325 degrees. Line a 9x13 pan with tin foil. Spray pan with cooking spray. Set aside

Into a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, place all cake ingredients into bowl. Beat for 2-3 minutes. Pour half of the cake batter into prepared pan. Place remaining cake batter into another bowl and set aside.

Into the mixing bowl, add the sugar and softened cream cheese. Beat until smooth. Add eggs one at a time and mix until incorporated. Gently pour the cream cheese mixture of the cake batter. Try to cover the whole surface of the cake mixture. 

Spoon remaining cake batter over the cream cheese mixture. Spread to the edge of the baking pan. Bake for 65 - 70 minutes. OR until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. (NOTE: REALLY cook this long)

Cool cake for at least a half hour - 1 hour before removing from pan.

While your cake is baking, in a heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, evaporated milk, butter and egg yolks. Continue to stir and cook. This probably took at least 15-20 minutes to cook and thicken up. Your thermometer should read 180 degrees. Needs to be thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon.

Remove from the heat. Stir in vanilla extract, fold in coconut and pecans. Cool until frosting reaches spreading consistency. 

Frost your cake. Refrigerate any leftovers. This cake can be made a day in advance.

All the ingredients needed for this dessert

(THE OIL was not pictured) sorry

The ingredients for the cake

 A very FULL bowl. remaining half of the cake

eggs, sugar, vanilla extract and cream cheese for the cream cheese mixture

Gently poured over the cake batter

Drizzling the remaining cake batter

Ingredients for the frosting

I first measured out the evaporated milk, but used the entire can

Stirring away... I had forgotten that homemade does take some time

My old wooden smasher. I have had this tool for a long time

Folding in the pecans and coconut

Gently removed the cake from the pan. 

Starting to frost

I used an offset spatula for a smooth surface

Heavenly layers of deliciousness

YES, I ate both of these pieces. OMG, 

Just so good.