These desserts make the most of fall's best flavors

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, Oct 29, 2008

Those who have been making the rounds of the pumpkin patches are seeing lots of other goodies from the fall harvest, like apples, cider and berries.

This is the perfect time of year for savoring that cider, and Florence Winter, of Mayetta, baked it into a cake that took first place at the Mayetta Pioneer Days apple dessert contest.

Apple Cider Cake

Cake

1 package (181/4 ounces) yellow cake mix

1 package (3.4 ounces) vanilla instant pudding mix

4 large eggs

1 cup best quality apple cider

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar

2 tablespoons apple cider

1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

For cake: Place rack in center of oven, and preheat to 350 degrees. Lightly mist a 12-cup Bundt pan with cooking spray, then dust with flour. Shake out excess flour, and set aside.

Put cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, cider, oil, cinnamon and cloves in a large mixing bowl. Beat on low for 30 seconds. Stop mixer, and scrape sides of bowl. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Batter should be thick and well-combined.

Pour batter into bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 55 to 60 minutes, until it springs back when lightly pressed with your finger. Cool on wire rack for 20 minutes.

For glaze: In a small saucepan over low heat, mix together powdered sugar, cider and lemon zest. Heat, stirring, until mixture is smooth.

Invert cake onto serving platter, and pour warm glaze over the cake.

Since berries also are in season, we should have a look at Willa Norwood's pie that took third place in the single-crust category at Tecumseh Heritage Day.

Berry-AppleFantasy Pie

Pastry for single-crust pie

1 cup sugar

4 teaspoons quick-cooking tapioca

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

2 cups blackberries

2 cups apples, peeled and sliced

Topping

2/3 cup flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup oats

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

6 tablespoons margarine

Line 9-inch pie pan with crust.

In a large bowl, mix sugar, tapioca and cinnamon together. Add berries and apple slices, and stir until coated. Let stand for 15 minutes.

Pour berry/apple mixture into crust.

For topping: Mix flour, sugar, oats and cinnamon together. Cut in margarine with knives or pastry blender until mixture is pebble sized.

Sprinkle topping evenly over fruit. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until apples are tender.

Send recipe requests and recipes to be shared to Recipe Exchange,Topeka Capital-Journal, 616 S.E.Jefferson, Topeka, 66607, or e-maillisa.sandmeyer@cjonline.com.