Spiced Layer Cake With Orange Cream Cheese Frosting Food

SPICED LAYER CAKE WITH ORANGE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter three 9-inch-diameter cake pans. Line bottom of pans with waxed paper. Butter and flour pans; tap out excess flour. Sift first 8 ingredients into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat sugar, butter and orange peel in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Stir flour mixture into butter mixture alternately with sour cream and milk. Divide batter among prepared pans.
• Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Transfer pans to racks and cool 10 minutes. Turn cakes out onto racks and cool completely. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.)
• Place 1 cake layer on platter. Spread 2/3 cup frosting over. Top with second cake layer. Spread 2/3 cup frosting over. Top with third cake layer. Cover top and sides of cake with remaining frosting. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and store at room temperature.)

SWEET POTATO CAKE WITH ORANGE-CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Grease 3 (9-inch) round cake pans with shortening; line pans with wax paper, and grease paper.
• Dust with flour and shake out excess.
• Drain and press pineapple between paper towels to remove excess moisture; set pineapple aside.
• Beat butter and sugars at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy; add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until yellow disappears.
• Combine flour and next 4 ingredients; add to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
• Beat at low speed until blended after each addition, stopping to scrape bowl as needed.
• Stir in reserved pineapple, sweet potatoes, and next 3 ingredients until blended.
• Pour batter into prepared pans.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
• Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks, and cool completely (about 1 hour).
• Make frosting-.
• Peel orange sections, removing any bitter white pith.
• Process cream cheese and butter in a food processor just until smooth.
• Add 3 orange sections; process 20 seconds or until mixture is smooth (reserve remaining orange section for another use).
• Transfer cream cheese mixture to a mixing bowl; gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until blended; stir in vanilla.
• Spread frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake; garnish with candied pecans and orange zest, if desired.

OLD FASHIONED PEAR SPICE CAKE [WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING]

Steps:

• In the large bowl of an electric mixture, combine sugar, oil, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger salt and flour.
• Mix to blend; then beat at medium-high speed for 5 minutes.
• Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Using a rubber spatula, fold pears and nuts into batter.
• Spread in an ungreased 9 by 13 inch baking pan.
• Bake in a 350 oven until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. (50-55 minutes).
• Let cool in pan on a wire rack.
• Meanwhile, prepare Cream Cheese Frosting.
• For frosting:.
• Beat [butter, cream cheese and vanilla] until fluffy.
• Gradually beat in powdered sugar until frosting is of good spreading consistency.
• Spread frosting over cool cake.