I know Thanksgiving was almost a week ago, but I wanted to share with you some of the desserts my family and I made for the holiday. I was very fortunate to get two days off from school last week and was able to spend that time relaxing with family.

This year I am very thankful for so many things. I’m thankful for my family and friends who make me feel loved especially when I’m feeling sad or frustrated. For my boyfriend Pete and his family who welcome me as if I were part of their family. I am so lucky to have someone like Pete in my life who makes me feel happy, cared for, safe, and loved. I’m grateful to have so many loving people in my life and living so near.

I’m also thankful for having the opportunity to attend  pastry school. Sometimes I lose sight of this and get overwhelmed by being so busy and on my feet all day. When I get past this I remember why I’m there and I am so happy that I’m busy and exhausted  by something that I love. I am also thankful for those of you who read these posts and forgive me for being so behind on updating.

As a thank you I thought I’d share with you  two of the four desserts we had at our Thanksgiving feast. My mom made pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting (Bon Appetit) and I contributed with my apple pie (from the Bucktown Apple Pie Contest).

Four-Layer Pumpkin Cake with Orange-Cream Cheese Frosting (Bon Appetit)

INGREDIENTS

CAKE

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

3 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder*

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

2 cups (packed) golden brown sugar

3 large eggs, room temperature

1 15-ounce can pure pumpkin

1/3 cup whole milk

FROSTING

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature

1 tablespoon finely grated orange peel

2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

Chopped walnuts or walnut halves, toasted

*A spice blend that usually contains ground fennel seeds, Szechuan peppercorns, cinnamon, star anise, and cloves; available in the spice section of most supermarkets.

PREPARATION

CAKE

Position rack in bottom third of oven; preheat to 350°F. Spray two 9-inch cake pans with 1 1/2-inch sides with nonstick spray. Line bottoms with parchment; spray parchment.

Whisk flour and next 4 ingredients in large bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in another large bowl until smooth. Beat in brown sugar. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating to blend between additions. Beat in pumpkin. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture in 3 additions alternately with milk in 2 additions, beating to blend between additions. Divide batter between pans.

Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool in pans on rack 15 minutes. Run knife around cakes to loosen. Invert cakes onto racks. Remove parchment. Using tart pan bottom as aid, turn cakes over onto racks, top sides up, and cool completely. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap cakes in plastic and store at room temperature.

FROSTING

Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until smooth. Add cream cheese and orange peel; beat until smooth. Add powdered sugar and beat on low speed until smooth.

Trim rounded tops from cakes. Using long serrated knife, cut each cake horizontally in half. Place 1 cake layer, cut side up, on large platter. Spoon 2/3 cup frosting atop cake in dollops; spread to edges. Repeat 2 more times with cake and frosting; top with remaining cake layer, cut side down. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake (layer will be thin). DO AHEAD Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover with cake dome; chill. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.

Decorate cake with walnuts and serve.

Bucktown Apple Pie Contest Pie

Crust

2 ½ c. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. sugar

1 c. unsalted butter, chilled and cubed (I use Plugra)

6-8 tbs. ice water

Filling

6-8 apples (Granny Smith, McIntosh, Honey Crisp & Cortland), peeled and thinly sliced

1 tbs. fresh lemon juice

½ tsp. lemon zest

¾ c. sugar

2 tbs. flour

1/8 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon, divided

¼ tsp. grated nutmeg

¼ tsp. ground ginger

2 tbs. cubed butter

Egg Wash

2 whole eggs

1 egg yolk

1 pinch salt

Turbinado sugar to sprinkle over top crust

For the crust preheat the oven to 425˚F.

Combine flour, salt, and sugar in large mixing bowl. Add butter and combine with a pastry blender until the mixture is a coarse meal. Add ice water, two tablespoons at a time until the dough comes together.

Form into two equal balls and flatten into discs. Wrap and refrigerate at least one hour or overnight.

Roll out both rounds of dough until to 1/4” thickness. Line pie tin with first pie crust. Prep second crust by cutting slits for ventilation.

For the filling combine apples with lemon juice, lemon zest, 3/4 c. sugar, flour, salt, ½ tsp. cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Microwave 1/3 of the apple mixture in 2 min. intervals until apples are tender.

Combine cooked apples with raw apples and then pour into pie crust. Dot with cubed butter and top with second crust. Press along the edge with a fork to close the seam.

Brush top crust with egg wash and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Bake for 30 minutes in a 425˚F oven. Lower temperature to 325˚F and bake for another 30 min. Allow to cool for at least 3 hours.