Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup applesauce
• 4 large eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• pinch of cloves
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups pumpkin puree or cooked mashed pumpkin
• cream cheese frosting, below
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preparation:

Directions for pumpkin cake
Combine sugar, applesauce, vegetable oil, and eggs in a large mixing bowl; mix well. Sift dry ingredients into a separate bowl; stir into oil mixture, beating well. Stir in pumpkin puree.

Pour batter into a greased and floured 13X9-inch  cake pans. Bake at 350° for 30 to 35 minutes. Turn out onto racks to cool. Frost pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting and sprinkle with chopped pecans.

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 pound confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients in large mixing bowl; beat well until smooth.

Ingredients

1 cup whole milk (I have also used 1% and it turns out fine)
¾ cup granulated sugar
pinch salt
2 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, use a hand mixer on low speed or whisk to combine the milk, sugar and salt until the sugar is dissolved.

2. Stir in the heavy cream and vanilla.

3.Cover and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours, or overnight. (I have skipped this step before and still had good results)

4. Turn on the Cuisinart® ice cream maker; pour the mixture into the frozen freezer bowl and let mix until thickened, about 15 to 20 minutes.

*The ice cream will have a soft, creamy texture. If a firmer consistency is desired, transfer the ice cream to an airtight container and place in freezer for about 2 hours. Remove from freezer about 15 minutes before serving.

Servings
Makes about 5 cups (ten ½-cup servings)
Nutritional Information Per Serving
Nutritional information per serving (based on ½ cup): Calories 222 (73% from fat) • carb. 13g • pro. 2g • fat 18g • sat. fat 11g • chol. 69mg • sod. 45mg • calc. 61mg • fiber 0g

Ingredients

3 cups fresh ripe strawberries, stemmed and sliced
4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1-1/2 cup sugar, divided
1-1/4 cups whole milk
2-3/4 cups heavy cream
1-1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Instructions

1. In a small bowl, combine the strawberries with the lemon juice and 1/2 cup of the sugar. Stir gently and allow the strawberries to macerate in the juices for 2 hours.

2. Strain the berries, reserving juices. Mash or purée half the berries.
3. In a medium mixing bowl, use a hand mixer on low speed to combine the milk and remaining granulated sugar until the sugar is dissolved, about 1 to 2 minutes.

4. Stir in the heavy cream, reserved strawberry juice, mashed strawberries, and vanilla.

5.Turn the machine on; pour the mixture into freezer bowl, and let mix until thickened, about 20 to 25 minutes. Five minutes before mixing is completed, add the reserved sliced strawberries and let mix in completely.

*The ice cream will have a soft, creamy texture. If a firmer consistency is desired, transfer the ice cream to an airtight container and place in freezer for about 2 hours. Remove from freezer about 15 minutes before serving.

Servings
Makes about fourteen 1/2-cup servings
Nutritional Information Per Serving
Calories 275 (58% from fat) · carb. 28g · pro. 2g · fat 18g · sat. fat 11g · chol. 67mg · sod. 29mg · calc. 64mg · fiber 1g

Yum! Topped with Vanilla Ice-cream

Chocolate Banana Cake

Ingredients

2 cups unsifted all-purpose flour
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup butter at room temperature
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup very ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup buttermilk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
2. Grease 13×9 cake pan or 2 9 inch round pans
3. In a medium bowl mix flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and cocoa powder.
4. In a large bowl mix the butter and sugar then add the applesauce, eggs, vanilla, and bananas.
5. Then alternate between adding the flour mixture and the buttermilk
6. Bake for 35-40 mins for 13×9 pan (25-30 mins for round pans). Let cool for about 10-15 mins before removing from pans to finish cooling.

Peanut Butter Chocolate frosting

Ingredients

1/3 cup salted butter, softened
1/3 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup cocoa powder
4 to 5 cups powdered sugar
1/3 to 1/2 cup  milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

1. In medium bowl, combine butter and peanut butter and beat well.
2. Add cocoa powder and 1 cup of the powdered sugar; beat until fluffy.
3.Gradually add remaining powdered sugar and milk alternately until desired consistency is reached.
4. Add vanilla.
5. Frost your cake

*Also I am pretty sure it would be delicious to add chocolate chips to this cake and I plan I adding about a cup of chocolate chips the next time I make this.