Fresh Apple Cake and Down East Main Pumpkin Bread

So these two recipes are fun for fall and are super easy. The pumpkin bread is usually made in loaf pans, but it can just as easily be made in a bundt pan for a fun presentation. Both of these recipes are good just like they are, but a glaze or frosting can be added if desired.

Uncle Bob's Fresh Apple Cake (from Paula Deen on http://www.foodnetwork.com/)

Cake:

3 cups diced Granny Smith apples (about 2 apples)

1 cup lightly toasted chopped walnuts

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

3 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
3 eggs



Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease a Bundt pan or tube pan. In a bowl, mix together the apples, walnuts, vanilla, and cinnamon. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Using an electric mixer, beat the sugar, oil and eggs in a large bowl. Add in the dry ingredients and beat until completely combined. Fold in the apple mixture. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until a tester inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool fully in the pan (about 1 hour) and then turn out onto a cake plate. Top with frosting or glaze if desired.

Glaze (I did not use this, I used a little cream cheese icing, but it is Paula's suggestion):


1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons milk

Add all the ingredients to a small bowl and stir until smooth. Drizzle over cooled cake.

Down East Main Pumpkin Bread (from http://www.allrecipes.com/)

 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree
4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup water
3 cups white sugar
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 3 (7x3 inch) loaf pans. If you choose to bake in a Bundt pan, use 2/3 of batter in the bundt pan and there will be enough additional batter for 1 7x3 inch loaf. I a large bowl, mix together the pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, water, and sugar until well blended. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger. Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just blended. Pour into the prepared pans. Bake for about 50 minutes in the the prepared pans. Bake for about 50 minutes in the preheated (may take longer in the bundt pan). Bread is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

*I have made this recipe several times in both loaves and the bundt pan and it is delicious either way*