Zucchini Cake with Cream Cheese Applesauce Icing

 

         This weekend I decided to use zucchini in my dessert.  This is a fall item that I haven't played a lot with yet this year.  I found a zucchini cake recipe and thought I would try it.  I have a really good zucchini bread recipe from my mom that I will make, but I like to experiment with new recipes.  The cake was easy to put together and make.  However, I am disappointed that the center fell as it cooled.  I don't know why this happened.  The applesauce cream cheese icing is a little runny, but I hope it will set more in a little while.  It certainly tastes good.  I wish my cake looked more like the picture on the webpage.  Here's the link to the site:

 

 

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Zucchini-Cake-with-Cream-Cheese-Applesauce-Icing/Detail.aspx?evt19=1

 

Pumpkin Cream Cheese (Bars)

     

      The past few weekends I've been trying out pumpkin recipes that I find online.  My sister, cousin, their families, and I get together every fall to make appleasuace.  Our grandmother used to make the best applesauce and for the past seven years, we've gotten together to remember Grandma and to try and recreate her fabulous applesauce.  We actually started before she passed away.  Since she never used a recipe, we've always just played around with what she could remember she used.
     What does this have to do with all the pumpkin recipes I've been trying?  Good question.  For the past several years we've gotten together to make the applesauce at my house and I've always made dessert for us after we've eaten dinner.  Even though we are meeting at my cousins house this year, I still get to bring a dessert!
     When I asked for ideas, my cousin told me how she is trying to eat healthy, but they all still wanted something delicious.  Her husband requested something pumpkin.  Hense, all the pumpkin recipes.  The ones I have tried have turned out, but I'm trying to see if I can find one that says, "I'm the one you are to make and bring to Applesauce Day."
    My thought now is to make small, bite size samples of different types of desserts so we can all have something we like and can eat just a little (or a lot).

    This week I am trying Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bars that I'm tweaking into personalized portions in the mini-cupcake size pans.  Here is the link to the reciepe: http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Pumpkin-Cream-Cheese-Bars

     The recipe is quite easy.  I'm trying to play around with the mini-cupcake size and how long to bake it.  I think baking it at 300 degrees for 20 minutes has done the job.  I put one teaspoon of the crust in the bottom of each and then two teaspoons of the pumpkin cream cheese mixture on top.  Doing it this way has certainly increased the time it takes to make them all.  For me that hasn't been such a big deal.  It may be for you, so be sure to take the increased time into account if you are thinking about making this recipe with my adaptation.  I was able to make 72 mini pumpkin cream cheese cakes.
       I will bring these into work tomorrow and see how my coworkers like it.  They may be tired of pumpkin recipes, so next weekend I'll try something other than pumpkin.

Welcome!

      Hi, and welcome to my blog.  I set up this blog site about a year ago (or possibly longer) and thought I would blog about the baking I did.  Well, that didn't happen.  I did bake.  But I got very self concious about putting anything online.
      What has changed my mind now to make me start blogging? You may ask.  Nothing, except I've been baking on a more consistent basis and I'm bringing in what I bake to my work.  So I guess I'm feeling a little more confident or I care a little less about what people think of it. 
        I am a complete novice when it comes to baking.  For example, I just realized the importance of sifting flour. (Feel free to laugh at me now.)  I baked with my mom growing up, but only in the last five years has it really become a hobby of mine.  Both of my grandmother's were fantastic bakers.  A regret of mine is not baking with them as a child or young adult.
        This blog is not meant to be read by many.  It is just a place for me to think through and share my baking.  If you read it, thank you!  What you see is what you get.  ME!  Please excuse any typos.  I'll do my best to not have any.  Unfortunately, I do my best spell check once I've completed something.
         Let the fun, carefree, baking begin!!