Pistachio Cake

I do love a good chocolate cake, but I'd have to say this is my second favorite flavor.  It's probably just nostalgic for me as I used to ask for it on my birthday, but it is tasty, nonetheless.  AND, it makes a GREAT St. Patrick's Day dessert.  Try it!

Ingredients:
1 yellow cake mix
1 pkg. pistachio pudding mix (4 oz)
1 1/4 cups water
1/4 cup oil
4 eggs
1 tsp. almond extract
7 drops green food coloring

Combine all ingredients together and beat for 2 minutes.  Pour into greased & floured BUNDT cake pan.  Bake @ 350 for 50-55 minutes.  Allow to cool in pan for 10 minutes.  Invert onto wire rack and continue to cool.  Drizzle with powdered sugar glaze (below).


Glaze:
1 lb. (about 3 1/2 cups) powdered sugar
2 T. melted butter
1/4 cup milk (add 1-2T more if it's too thick)
1/2 tsp. almond (optional)
2-3 drops green food coloring (optional)

Combine all ingredients together & drizzle over cooled cake.

Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle

This recipe is a mixture of two I've found.  I made one today from Taste of Home and thought it needed a little something more...so I'm combining the recipes from there and Food Network to bring you this version.  I think it's a winner...and Happy Birthday, Marie!  Hope you liked your cake!

Ingredients:
2 (14.5 ounce) pkgs. Gingerbread cake mix (prepared and baked according to package directions) - or you may use the recipe below for Gingerbread Snack Cake.
2 (3.4 oz.) pkgs. Cook & Serve Vanilla Pudding
1 (15 oz.) can Pumpkin Pie Mix
3 cups whole milk
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 (8 ounce) carton's whipped topping, thawed, divided
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
Gingersnap cookies or 2 Skor candy bars, crushed (garnish)

Directions:
Prepare & bake gingerbread.  Allow to cool completely on wire racks.

Combine pudding mixes with milk and bring to a full, rolling boil, stirring constantly.  Allow to cook for 1-2 minutes until thickened.  Remove from heat; cool to room temperature.  Add pumpkin pie mix and brown sugar to pudding & stir until smooth.

Crumble gingerbread cake into small pieces. Place one layer of the crumbled gingerbread into your serving / trifle dish and press down lightly to compact the layer. Pour 1/2 of the can of sweetened condensed milk over the gingerbread.  Add a layer of the pumpkin pudding (make sure it has cooled completely first - if not you'll end up with air pockets and it won't look pretty).  Add a layer of whipped topping. Repeat the layers again.  (You may need to hold off on the final layer of whipped topping until after chilling if your dish is full - it will settle in the refrigerator).  At this point, refrigerate overnight or for at least 8 hours.

Before serving, add a final layer of whipped topping in decorative swirls.  Garnish with crushed gingersnap cookies or skor candy bars.  Yield: 25 (1 cup) servings

Gingerbread Snack Cake

I am making my dear sister-in-law a pumpkin gingerbread trifle tomorrow for her birthday and the recipe calls for a gingerbread mix, which I could not find anywhere (okay at either of the two stores at which I had time to look).  So, I had to resort to googling a recipe to make from scratch.  So worth it!  I probably sampled a little more than I should have tonight and I wish I could remember what site this recipe came from (I think it was a Martha Stewart blog), but anyway, it's delicious.  Had to share.

Ingredients:
1 stick (8 oz) butter, room temperature
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup boiling water
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground ginger
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 cup unsulfured molasses
1 T freshly grated ginger
2 large eggs
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9-by-13-inch cake pan; set aside.  In a bowl, combine boiling water and baking soda; set aside.  With an an electric mixer & paddle attachment, cream butter until light. Beat in brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in molasses and grated ginger, baking-soda mixture, flour & spices. Beat in eggs.
Pour batter into prepared pan; bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack. Cut into squares; dust with confectioners’ sugar or whipped cream.