Holiday Cake Recipes - Yum!

Are you looking for great holiday cakes to make over the break? Here are a couple great dessert recipes to finish off your holiday table!

Pumpkin Pecan Cheesecake
You need:
½ cup chopped pecans
⅓ cup packed brown sugar
Another ¼ cup packed brown sugar in a different container
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
¾ cup pumpkin butter
1 (9 inch) prepared graham cracker crust

Directions:
1 - Combine pecans and ¼ cup brown sugar; cut in butter or margarine with a pastry blender until mixture is crumbly. Set aside.
2 - Beat cream cheese at high speed of an electric mixer until smooth. Add ⅓ cup brown sugar and beat well. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in pumpkin butter. Pour mixture into graham cracker crust.
3 - Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 40 minutes.
4 - Take pie out of oven when it is done and sprinkle the pecan mixture over it. Bake for 5 additional minutes or at least until butter or margarine and sugar have melted. Cool on a wire rack. Cover, and chill for at least 4 hours.

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Spicy Apple Cake 
You need: 
½ cup shortening 
1 cup brown sugar 
¼ cup white sugar 
2 eggs 
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour 
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
½ teaspoon baking soda 
1 teaspoon baking powder 
½ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg 
½ cup milk 
2 cups apple - peeled, cored, and chopped 
Another ¼ cup shortening 
Another ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon 
2 cups sifted confectioners sugar 
1 pinch ground nutmeg 
¼ cup evaporated milk 

Directions: 
1 - Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9 inch square pan. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside. 
2 - In a large bowl, cream together the shortening, brown sugar and white sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the milk, mixing just until incorporated. Stir in the chopped apples. 
3 - Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool. 
4 - To make the frosting: In a medium bowl, combine 1/4 cup shortening, confectioners' sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Beat until light and creamy. Beat in the milk, one tablespoon at a time, until desired spreading consistency is achieved. Spread over top of cooled cake. 

I thought these sounded great! I hope you enjoy. 

Story by Madeline Tate

Recipes from Allrecipes.com

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