Cranberry Pie

It's a toss up whether you'll consider this a cake or a pie, but it's called pie in Sara Chase's cookbook, no doubt because it's made in a pie pan. You don't even need a mixer to make it, it's all done by hand and in short order, too. My daughter thought it was scone-like in texture. I think you'll find it somewhat like an upside down cake, but while there seems to be plenty of sugar in it, the cranberries are the balance and it isn't too sweet. It actually does need the ice cream addition.

Sara Leah Chase's Cranberry Pie
From her cookbook, Cold Weather Cooking

Ingredients:

12 ounces fresh cranberries

1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed

1 tablespoon grated orange zest

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

2 large eggs

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup sour cream

1 cup all purpose flour

Method:

Preheat oven to 325. Butter a 10 inch pie plate.

Place cranberries in the pie plate along with the brown sugar, zest, cinnamon and walnuts. Toss so it is evenly mixed.

Whisk the eggs in a bowl, beat in the butter, sugar, vanilla and sour cream until blended. Gradually stir in the flour and mix until smooth. Pour evenly over the cranberries.

Bake until the fruit is bubbly and it is browned on top, about 55 to 60 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature with a scoop of ice cream.

Black Velvet Whoopie Pies

These Halloween colored whoopie pies are a combination of recipes. The basic recipe and idea was from Amanda at I Am Baker. The additions I made to Amanda's recipe came from Hedy Goldsmith, a multiple James Beard Award nominee in the Outstanding Pastry Chef category. She has a fabulous and fun cookbook called Baking Out Loud. In this cookbook, Hedy makes Mochaccino Whoopie Pies, so I snitched an idea from her recipe and added espresso powder and cinnamon to Amanda's fun recipe for Halloween. 
Now I'm going to have to go back and make Hedy's recipe!

Halloween Black Velvet Whoopie Pies
From I Am Baker and Baking Out Loud

Ingredients:
1 package (15 1/4 to 18 1/4 ounces) German chocolate cake mix with pudding 
1/2 cup water 
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 
1/4 cup vegetable oil 
3 tablespoons black food color 
3 eggs 
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 tablespoon espresso powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon

For the Filling: 
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened 
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar 
1 jar (7 ounces) marshmallow cream 
1/2 teaspoon orange extract
1/2 teaspoon red food color 
1/2 teaspoon yellow food color

Method:
For the cookies:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Beat cake mix, water, cocoa powder, oil, food color, eggs, vanilla. espresso powder and cinnamon in your electric mixer on low speed just until moistened, scraping sides of bowl frequently. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes. 
Spoon 1 tablespoon of batter, 2 inches apart, onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets. (Cookies will spread so don't crowd.) 
Bake 8 minutes or until cookies are puffed and spring back when touched, turning baking sheets halfway through baking. Cool on baking sheets 1 minute. Remove to wire racks; cool completely. 

For the orange filling:
Beat all ingredients with your electric mixer until light and fluffy.
To assemble:
Place 1 tablespoon filling on flat side of 1 cookie. Top with a second cookie, pressing gently to spread the filling. Repeat with remaining cookies and filling.

Pumpkin Shortbread

Here's a shortbread for autumn you're going to love with your cup of tea or coffee; these are great little dunkers. (Milk would work too.) Not too sweet, but with lovely pumpkin flavor and and nicely crisp. Your family might like them sweeter, so before you cut, glaze the whole thing with confectioners sugar mixed with milk (or eggnog!), or serve them with ice cream. I like them simple and elegant with just a sprinkling of confectioners sugar.
Spicy fragrance from your oven and an uncomplicated recipe for a perfect fall treat: a pumpkin spiced shortbread cookie. Win-win.

Pumpkin Shortbread
From Libby's

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup powdered sugar
1/3 to 1/2 cup pumpkin puree (use 1/2 cup for a softer shortbread)
2 teaspoons sparkling or granulated sugar

Method:
Preheat oven to 300° F. Spray bottom of 9-inch fluted tart pan with removable bottom with nonstick cooking spray. (I used a square tart pan)

Combine flour, cornstarch, pumpkin pie spice and salt in small bowl.
Beat butter and powdered sugar in large mixer bowl until creamy. Beat in pumpkin until combined. Add flour mixture and mix until just incorporated. Spread dough into prepared pan; smooth top.

Bake for 80 minutes or until firm and golden brown. Cool for about 10 minutes; remove side from pan. When cool, sprinkle with confectioners sugar. Use a serrated knife to cut into wedges. (Or squares)