Happy Halloweekend!

Happy Halloween! It's that time of year to let your sweet tooth run wild! I'm serving up some unconventionally delicious fall treats. Enjoy! Inside Out Caramel Apples Ingredients 3 large Granny Smith or Pink Lady apples* 1 large lemon 2 cups brown sugar 1/2 cup heavy cream 2 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons light corn syrup (alternatively, maple syrup) 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Chocolate sauce (optional) Directions Cut your apples in half and use a melon baller to scoop out the insides, leaving the walls intact at about 1/2 to 1/4 inch thickness. Squeeze the juice from the lemon onto the apples and allow to set. This will keep them from turning brown right away. In a sauce pan over high heat, combine the brown sugar, butter, heavy cream and corn syrup. Stir until the brown sugar has dissolved. Allow to boil, stirring occasionally, until it reaches 230F, about 7-10 minutes. Remove from heat and add the vanilla, stir continually until it stops bubbling. Allow to cool for about 10-15 minutes. Using a paper towel, wipe your apples down, removing the lemon juice as much as possible. If the inside of your apple is too wet, the caramel wont stick. Pour the caramel into the hollowed out apples until just below the top. Chill in the refrigerator until the caramel has set, about 20 minutes. Cut into slices** and drizzle with chocolate sauce if desired. LEARN MORE Pumpkin Spice Popcorn Ingredients ⅓ cup popcorn kernels 3 tbs coconut oil 3 tbs brown sugar (optional: 1 tbs brown sugar for topping) ½ tsp pumpkin spice mix salt to taste Instructions In a medium to large saucepan, place 3 tbs of coconut oil and 3 (yes 3) popcorn kernels. While the oil is heating up, measure out the 3 tbs brown sugar and place in a bowl. Once the popcorn kernels start to pop, add in the ⅓ cup of kernels and continuously move the pan over the heat. After about 1 to 2 minutes stir in the brown sugar, cover, and continue to move the saucepan over the heat until the kernels start to pop. Move the saucepan rapidly over the heat (be careful) holding onto the lid until the kernels stop popping. Place in large bowl, wait for it to cool a bit, and top with pumpkin spice, salt to taste, and extra brown sugar (optional). Stir. LEARN MORE Ginger Rum Cocktail ·     Fresh ginger ·     ¾ oz lemon juice ·     1 oz apple juice ·     1 oz simple syrup ·     1 ½ oz Depaz Amber Rhum Muddle ginger, lemon and apple. Add Rhum. Shake with ice and pour over ice into highball glass. LEARN MORE Visit me online www.lulupowers.com

Chocolate-Pumpkin Layer Cake

• 20 tablespoons (2 1/2 sticks) soft unsalted butter, more for greasing
• 2 cups flour, more for dusting
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon allspice
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 cup plain pumpkin purée, canned, frozen or fresh
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 10 ounces unsweetened chocolate, preferably 99 or 100 percent, melted and cooled to room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Use a little butter to grease two 9-inch round cake pans. Line bottoms with parchment paper. Butter and flour the paper. In a large bowl, whisk flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, baking soda, baking powder and salt together.
2. Using an electric mixer, cream 8 tablespoons butter and the granulated sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time. Stir in pumpkin purée. Mixture may look slightly curdled. Stir in flour mixture about half a cup at a time until smooth. Fold in chocolate chips and pecans.
3. Divide batter into pans and bake in middle of oven until springy to the touch and a tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, run a knife around edges, invert onto racks and peel off paper. Let cakes cool completely.
4. In a large bowl, blend remaining 12 tablespoons butter and confectioners’ sugar together. Blend in chocolate and vanilla extract and beat until smooth.
5. Place one cake layer, smooth side up, on a platter. Ice top. Place second layer, smooth side down, on top; ice top and sides of cake.

To make ahead: For fully frosted cake, put in freezer unwrapped; when frozen hard, wrap in plastic, then foil. Remove wrapping before defrosting.

Unfrosted cake layers out of their pans can be wrapped first, then frozen up to three weeks.

Frosting can be made up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerated, then brought to room temperature for at least one hour.

Chocolate Pumpkin Layer Cake

Adapted from John Down, Christopher Norman Chocolates Time: 1 1/2 hours plus cooling

20 tablespoons (2 1/2 sticks) soft unsalted butter, more for greasing

2 cups flour, more for dusting

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

3 eggs

1 1/2 cup plain pumpkin purée, canned, frozen or fresh

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup chopped pecans

2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

10 ounces unsweetened chocolate, preferably 99 or 100 percent, melted and cooled to room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Use a little butter to grease two 9-inch round cake pans. Line bottoms with parchment paper. Butter and flour the paper. In a large bowl, whisk flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, baking soda, baking powder and salt together.
2. Using an electric mixer, cream 8 tablespoons butter and the granulated sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time. Stir in pumpkin purée. Mixture may look slightly curdled. Stir in flour mixture about half a cup at a time until smooth. Fold in chocolate chips and pecans.
3. Divide batter into pans and bake in middle of oven until springy to the touch and a tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, run a knife around edges, invert onto racks and peel off paper. Let cakes cool completely.
4. In a large bowl, blend remaining 12 tablespoons butter and confectioners’ sugar together. Blend in chocolate and vanilla extract and beat until smooth.
5. Place one cake layer, smooth side up, on a platter. Ice top. Place second layer, smooth side down, on top; ice top and sides of cake.

Yield: 8 to 12 servings.

To make ahead: For fully frosted cake, put in freezer unwrapped; when frozen hard, wrap in plastic, then foil. Remove wrapping before defrosting.

Unfrosted cake layers out of their pans can be wrapped first, then frozen up to three weeks.

Frosting can be made up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerated, then brought to room temperature for at least one hour.