Strawberries and blueberries are abundant this time of year, and made it easy to create the stars and stripes of our grand flag.

Ingredients:

4 cups fresh strawberries

1 pkg.  (12 oz.) frozen prepared pound cake, thawed, cut into 14 slices

1-1/3 cups blueberries, divided

1 tub  (12 oz.) Cool Whip Whipped Topping, thawed

Directions:

1. Slice 1 cup strawberries; halve remaining strawberries.

2. Cover bottom of 13×9-inch dish with cake slices; top with sliced strawberries and 1 cup blueberries. Spread Cool Whip over berries.

3. Arrange strawberry halves and remaining blueberries on COOL WHIP to resemble a US flag. Keep refrigerated.

Filling and cake:

1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1 (18.25-ounce) package plain yellow cake mix
1 (3.4-ounce) package vanilla instant pudding mix
3/4 cup vegetable oil, such as canola oil
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

Glaze:

1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degF then grease and flour a 12 cup bundt pan. Sprinkle the pecans or walnuts in the bottom of the prepared pan.

Mix the filling in a small bowl by combining the brown sugar and cinnamon then stirring until combined. Set aside.

Place cake mix, pudding mix, oil, 3/4 cup water, eggs and vanilla in a large mixing bowl blending with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute and then medium speed for 2 additional minutes scraping down the sides as needed. Batter should be smooth and thick.

Pour a third of the batter into the prepared pan on top of the pecans. Evenly sprinkle half the prepared filling over the batter. Add another 1/3 of the batter over the top of the filling. Sprinkle the remaining filling over the batter and then pour the remaining batter on top. Be sure to even out each layer as you add them.

Place the cake on the middle rack in the preheated oven and bake cake 50 to 60 minutes or until it is golden brown and springs back when lightly pressed. Cool on wire rack for 20 minutes in the pan. Then run a knife along the edge and invert the cake onto the cooling rack. Cool entirely (about 30 more minutes).

While the cake is cooling, prepare the glaze. Combine the confectioners’ sugar, milk and vanilla in a small bowl and beat either with a mixer or vigorously with a spoon until smooth. Place the cooled cake on a serving platter and spoonglaze over the top so that it drizzles down sides and into center of cake. Slice and serve.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup softened butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
8 oz sour cream
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup pecans
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

1. Combine the butter and sugar creaming until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and sour cream mixing well.

2. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, nutmeg, salt and baking soda. Add to the creamed butter mixture and mix well.

3. Pour batter into a greased and floured 13″ x 9″ pan.

4. Combine the brown sugar, pecans and cinnamon mixing well. Sprinkle evenly over the top of the batter.

5. Cover the pan with saran wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill overnight.

6. Uncover and bake at 350 degF for 30 to 35 minutes. Cool slightly.

Glaze
1 cup sifted confectioners sugar
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon of water
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla

Beat ingredients together with an electric mixture until smooth. Drizzle glaze over warm cake. Cut into pieces and serve.

Ingredients:
24 Halloween Themed Baking Cups
1 package (about 18 oz.) chocolate cake mix (or use your favorite flavor)
1 tub (16 oz.) vanilla ready-to-spread frosting (or use cream cheese flavor)
- green food color
- black string licorice
- green gumdrops
12 chocolate sandwich cookies (we use Oreos or Newman’s Own Organic)
24 chocolate sugar ice cream cones
1 cup semi-sweet melted chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Get out a few muffin pans and line 24 of the muffin cups with the paper Halloween themed baking cups. Preheat oven to the temperature indicated on the cake mix package for 24 cupcakes.

2. Mix the cake mix according to the instructions on the box and spoono the batter into the baking cups.  Bake according to the package directions for 24 cupcakes.  Once baked, remove the cupcakes from the tins and cool them completely on a baking rack.

3. In a mixing bowl, mix the tub of frosting together with some green food coloring until you get the desired green color.  Frost the 24 cupcakes.

4. To create the hat and brim, separate the 12 sandwich cookies and remove the cream filling. Set the cookie 24 cookie halves on wax paper. Then trim 24 chocolate ice cream cones so that they will sit well on top of the cookie halves. Melt the one cup of chocolate morsels in the microwave (be careful not to burn …. I suggest melting on 50% power). Drizzle the cookie halves with the melted chocolate and press the cones down into the melted chocolate (be sure to reserve a bit of melted chocolate for the witch’s hair and eyebrows). When the chocolate sets-up, it should hold the cones onto the brim to form a pointy witch hat.

5. Place a pointed hat on each cupcake. Then decorate with the black string licorice for the eyes and mouth, melted chocolate for the hair and eyebrows, and trimmed green gumdrops for the witch’s nose.

These scary good cupcakes are sure to be a hit at your kids school or a Halloween party. They are super easy to make and both the kids and adults will love them! Photo is courtesy of Cutco.  If you are throwing a party and don’t have time to create your own goodies, consider buying one of our Halloween Cookie Bouquets and using it for a creative and yummy centerpiece!

Sift the farina, flour, and baking powder together. Cream the butter; add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in one egg yolk at a time, and then add the flour mixture, coconut, and vanilla. Fold in the egg whites. Turn into 2 buttered 8-inch layer cake pans. Bake 20 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool on a cake rack. May be decorated with whipped cream and grated coconut.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch layer-cake pan and dust with flour. Beat the eggs and sugar until very thick and light. Sift the anise, flour, and baking powdered into it and folds in lightly but thoroughly. Bake 30 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool on a cake rack. Turn out and cut into pie-shaped wedges.

• 1/2 cup whole natural almonds

• 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

• 2 tsp. baking powder

• 1/4 tsp. salt

• 1 cup shreds of wheat bran cereal

• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar

• 3/4 cup milk

• 1/4 cup orange juice

• 1 tsp. grated orange peel

• 1 egg

• 1/4 cup vegetable or almond oil

Spread almonds in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly toasted. Cool and chop. In crease the oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. In a medium bowl, combine the cereal, sugar, milk, orange juice, and peel. Let stand 2 minutes or until cereal is softened. Add egg and oil; beat well. Stir in the almonds. Add the liquid mixture; stir just until moistened. Batter will be lumpy; do not over mix. Spoon batter evenly into 12 greased 2 ½ inch muffin cups. Bake for 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

• 1 cup warm milk (105 to 115 degrees)

• 2 packages active dry yeast

• 1 cup butter, softened

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

• 2 eggs, slightly beaten

• 1 tsp. salt

• 1 tsp. ground cardamom

• 5 to 5 1/2 cups all purpose flour

• 1 cup prepared apricot filling

• 1/2 cup chopped dates

• 2 cups sifted powdered sugar

• 3 tbsp. light cream or half and half

• 1/2 tsp. vanilla

• 1/4 tsp. almond extract

In a large bowl, combine the milk and yeast; stir to dissolve yeast. Stir in butter, granulated sugar, eggs, salt, cardamom and 2 cups of the flour; beat until smooth. Stir in enough of the remaining flour to make the dough easy to handle. Turn out onto lightly floured surface. Knead for 10 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic, adding as much remaining flour as needed to prevent sticking. Shape dough into a ball. Place in a large, buttered bowl; turn dough once to butter surface. Cover with waxed paper; let rise in a warm place (85 degrees) until doubled, about 1 ½ hours. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine apricot filling and dates; set aside.

Pinch dough down; divide into 3 equal pieces. Roll out one third dough on lightly floured surface into 12 x 10 inch rectangle. Spoon one third of apricot mixture down the center third of dough. Fold all 4 sides over so that they meet at the center of filling; pinch to seal. Place dough seam side down on a buttered baking sheet. With scissors, snip 1 inch wide strips on its side to expose filling. Cover; let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30 minutes. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for about 18 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks to cool completely. In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar, cream, vanilla and almond extract; mix well. Drizzle over the coffee cakes.

• 4 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. ground anise
• 1 cup sifted flour
• 3/4 tsp. baking powdered

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch layer-cake pan and dust with flour.

Beat the eggs and sugar until very thick and light. Sift the anise, flour, and baking powdered into it and folds in lightly but thoroughly. Bake 30 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool on a cake rack. Turn out and cut into pie-shaped wedges.

• 1 3/4 cups plus 2 tbsp. all purpose flour

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

• 1/2 tsp. baking soda

• 1/2 tsp. salt

• 1 egg

• 3/4 cup milk

• 3/4 cup sweetened applesauce

• 1/4 cup butter, melted

• 1 cup fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped

• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

In a medium bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups of the flour, 1/4 cup of the sugar, the baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a small bowl, combine the egg, milk, applesauce, and butter; mix well. Add egg mixture to flour mixture; stir just until moistened. Batter will be lumpy; do not over mix. In a small bowl, toss cranberries with remaining 2 tbsp. Of flour; fold into batter. Spoon batter evenly into 12 greased 2 3/4 inch muffin cups. In measuring cup, combine remaining 1/4 cup sugar and the cinnamon. Sprinkle over tops of muffins. Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack and cool.