sweets and desserts

Sweet Potato Pie

1 (1 pound) sweet potato
1 tsp vegetable oil
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust

Rub sweet potato skin with vegetable oil and bake whole at 400˚ for 40 to 50 minutes, or until done. Run cold water over the sweet potato, and remove the skin.
Break apart sweet potato in a bowl. Add butter, and mix well with mixer. Stir in sugar, milk, eggs, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until mixture is smooth. Pour filling into an unbaked pie crust.
Bake at 350˚ for 55 to 60 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Pie will puff up like a souffle, and then will sink down as it cools.
Serve with fresh whipped cream.

Yellow Springs Carrot Cake

This carrot cake was a big hit at the 2008 Picnic Feast in the Fields.

½ cup oil (or butter)
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
3 cups grated raw carrots
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
4 eggs, beaten
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup finely chopped pecans (opt.)

Mix oil and sugar. Sift dry ingredients. Add ½ dry to oil and sugar, mix. Alternate dry and eggs into oil and sugar while mixing. Add carrots and pecans, mix well. Bake in 8”x12” pan for an hour and 10 min at 325˚. Frost with cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

3 oz cream cheese, softened
1 tbs milk
1 tsp vanilla
dash salt
2 ½ cup confectioner sugar

Mix all ingredients. Spread on cooled cake.

Blueberry Crumb Coffee Cake

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 stick butter, softened
¾ cup granulated sugar or maple syrup
2 eggs
½ cup sour cream
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups (1 pint) blueberries

***Topping***
½ cup light brown sugar, packed
½ cup flour
½ cup quick oats
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
dash ground nutmeg
5 tablespoons melted butter
½ cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans, optional

Grease a 9-inch springform pan. Heat oven to 350°.
Combine the 1 1/2 cups flour, baking powder, soda, and salt; set aside. In a mixing bowl cream the softened butter with the sugar. Beat in the eggs until smooth. Beat in sour cream and vanilla. With mixer on low speed, beat in the flour mixture just until blended. Spread the batter in the prepared baking pan. Sprinkle blueberries evenly over the batter.
In another bowl (or a food processor if you have one) combine the brown sugar, flour, oats, cinnamon, and nutmeg, stirring with a fork until smooth. Add the melted butter and blend well with the fork. Blend in chopped nuts, if using. Sprinkle the crumb mixture evenly over the blueberries.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the cake is firm and top is browned.

Let cool for about 10 minutes on a rack; remove the side of the pan and cool completely before slicing.

Cinnamon Zucchini Bread

3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
2 cups grated zucchini
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/4 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup raisins (optional)
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Grate zucchini and let sit in a colander to drain for 30 min, pressing out extra liquid.
In a large bowl, combine eggs, oil, sugar, zucchini, and vanilla. Mix well.
Add flours, baking powder, soda, salt, wheat germ, and cinnamon; stir to combine. Stir in raisins and nuts, if desired.
Bake at 350˚ F for 1 hour, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Makes 1 loaf