Squash Cheesecake

(Makes 10-12 servings)

Ingredients

Squash Puree

• 1 pound butternut squash, cut in half and seeded

Crust

• 7 ounces ginger cookies
• ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted

Cheesecake

• ½ cup packed light brown sugar
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 14 ounces cream cheese
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ⅔ cup buttermilk

Garnish

• 2 tablespoons green pumpkin seeds, toasted

Directions

1. Grease an 8-inch springform pan.
2. Preheat oven to 325°F.
3. Bake squash until soft. Cool, then puree flesh in food processor.
4. Whiz ginger cookies to fine crumbs and add melted butter.
5. Press mixture into base of prepared pan. Cover and chill.
6. Mix brown sugar, cinnamon, and cream cheese together in bowl until smooth.
7. Add eggs, vanilla, squash puree, and buttermilk and mix well. Pour filling over crust.
8. Bake 40 to 50 minutes. Cool in oven for 5 minutes with door ajar; cool and chill. Scatter seeds over.

Aunt Mary Ann’s Four-Layer Whiskey Cake

Ingredients:

Cakes:

• 1 cup room-temperature butter
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 1/4 cups sifted flour
• 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk
• 8 egg whites

Icing:

• 8 egg yolks
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 cups chopped pecans
• 2 cups finely chopped, seeded currants
• 1 3/4 cup shredded coconut
• 2 cups of finely chopped candied cherries (use a 50/50 mix of red and green to make it extra festive)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup whiskey

Directions:

Cakes:
Preheat oven to 350°F.

Cream butter with electric mixer and gradually add in sugar. Beat mixture until light and fluffy; mix in vanilla.

Still using the electric mixer, slowly add in flour, baking powder, and salt. To keep the batter at a manageable consistency, alternate adding dry ingredients and splashes of milk. Beat batter until smooth.

In another bowl, beat egg whites (set aside egg yolks for the icing) with electric mixer on high until they’re stiff but not totally dry. Fold egg whites into cake batter with a spatula. Batter will be very thick.

Spoon batter evenly into four round, 9-inch, pre-greased baking pans. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cakes comes out clean; remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes before turning cakes out on wire cooling rack.

Icing:

While cakes cool, beat egg yolks with a fork and put them in a saucepan with sugar and butter. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly for about 5 minutes or until sugar is all dissolved and mixture has thickened slightly. Remove from heat and stir in the remaining icing ingredients. Let stand until cool.

Assembly:

Spread cooled icing between cake layers and on top of assembled cake.

Place the iced cake in an airtight container for 3 or 4 days to allow it to flavor before serving.