Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle

My sister Missy made this for me while I was in Arizona last month -- it is absolutely delicious! I love having a dessert that I can make a day ahead so I have one less thing to worry about.



Ingredients:
2 (14-ounce) packages gingerbread mix
1 (5.1-ounce) box cook-and-serve vanilla pudding mix (I used instant pudding)
1 (30-ounce) can pumpkin pie filling
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 teaspoon ground cardamom or cinnamon
1 (12-ounce) container frozen whipped topping
1/2 cup gingersnaps, optional

Directions:
Bake the gingerbread according to the package directions; cool completely. Meanwhile, prepare the pudding and set aside to cool. Stir the pumpkin pie filling, sugar, and cardamom into the pudding. Crumble 1 batch of gingerbread into the bottom of a large, pretty bowl. Pour 1/2 of the pudding mixture over the gingerbread, then add a layer of whipped topping. Repeat with the remaining gingerbread, pudding, and whipped topping. Sprinkle of the top with crushed gingersnaps, if desired. Refrigerate overnight. Trifle can be layered in a punch bowl.

Source: Food Network

Milk Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cake

Also from the Egyptian website (touregypt.net, if you're curious). Pumpkin is allegedly also eaten in Egypt... and according to National Geographic, pumpkins grow on every continent but Antarctica. So it is plausible that this would be served at a dinner table in Egypt.

This cake was a hit dessert at my last dinner night, and it was even better the next day, after the flavors had a chance to mingle with one another. And for what its worth, it made for a great breakfast. It has eggs in it, which is of course a breakfast food, and pumpkin is high in Vitamins A and C. So the cake is, you know, practically health food.

Ingredients:

• 3 c. all purpose flour
• 2 1/4 c. granulated sugar
• 3/4 c. brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp. pumpkin pie spice or apple pie spice
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 6 oz. milk chocolate chips
  
• 1- 15 oz. can pumpkin
• 3/4 c. melted butter or margarine
• 6 eggs slightly beaten or equivalent egg substitute
• Oven 350F
• Tube pan or fluted tube pan (Bundt pan)

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350F
• Generously spray the tube pan with nonstick spray.
• Set aside 1/2 c. flour in a small bowl
• In a large bowl, combine the remaining flour, sugars, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• Place the chocolate chips in the reserved flour and toss to coat. Set aside.
• In another bowl combine the pumpkin, melted butter, and eggs.
• Add the pumpkin mixture to flour mixture and stir until combined. Add the chocolate chip mixture. Stir until combined, then pour the batter into the tube pan.
• Bake for 60 minutes or until a wooden toothpick comes out clean, when tested near the center of the cake.
• Cool pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Gently remove the cake from the pan and cool for 30 minutes. Garnish with powdered sugar or drizzle with icing.

Makes 12-16 servings.

I don't have a picture of the cake, so instead I will share a pic of the ladies enjoying dinner. The two dips were a saffron aioli and a lemony carrot dip with toasted cumin seeds.