Mike's Birthday Party Menu

prosciutto-topped mushrooms

cheesy cucumber bites

Red Velvet Cake

fruit, cheese, & crackers tray

Mulled Apple Cider
Mix one gallon apple cider with one 5.65 oz. package Aspen brand mulling spices (available at Hallmark) and warm on stove or in slow cooker.

Sam Adam's Octoberfest seasonal ale

Paula Deen's Gooey Pumpkin Butter Cake

1 (18.25-ounce) box yellow cake mix or spice cake mix
1 egg
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

Filling
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin pie filling
3 eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 (16-ounce) box confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
pecan halves

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 13x9x2-inch baking pan.

2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine cake mix, egg, and butter and mix well. Pat into the bottom of prepared pan and set aside.

3. Still using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth; add pumpkin, eggs and vanilla. Dump in confectioners' sugar and beat well. Reduce speed of mixer and slowly pour in butter. Mix well.

4. Pour filling from step 3 onto cake mixture and spread evenly. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Don't be afraid to make a judgment call on the cooking time, because oven temperatures can vary. You want the center to be a little gooey, so don't bake it past that point!

5. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. Cut into squares, top with a pecan half.

No Mistake Red Velvet Cake

Mike's choice for his birthday cake this year!

2 cups sugar
2 1/3 cups flour
1 tbs. Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
2 cups vegetable oil
1 tsp white vinegar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 ounce (1 bottle) red food coloring

1 recipe Pecan Cream Cheese Frosting (below)

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease two round 9-ince cake pans and line the bottom of each pan with a circle of parchment paper. Grease the paper.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine all the ingredients and whip on low speed for 1 minute, or until everything is incorporated. Scrape the sides of the bowl and increase the speed to medium and whip for 2 minutes. Divide the batter between the prepared pans and smooth the surface of the batter with a spoon.
3. Place the pans on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 25 to 30 mintues, or until a toothpicck inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean. Cool the cakes in the pans for 15 minutes. Invert the cakes onto a wire rack, remove the paper, and cool completely. Flip the cakes right side up.
4. With a serrated knife, trim off the domed top of each cake to make a flat surface. Sandwich the layers with frosting and cover the sides and the top with frosting.


Pecan Cream Cheese Frosting

5 oz. cream cheese, softened
4 1/2 tbs. unsalted butter, softened
3 cups confectioners sugar
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 tsp. heavy cream
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the cream cheese and butter and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes or until smooth. Scrape the inside of the bowl. Reduce the speed to low, gradually add the confectioners sugar, and mix until incorporated. Add the vanilla and cream and mix until smooth. Fold in the nuts.


This recipe is by Stephanie Hall in the book, Baking from the Heart. She is the pastry chef of Elizabeth's restaurant in Savannah, Georgia.