Favorite Fall Baking Treats

Fall is right around the corner as we get close into the end of September.  As we make our way through the street fairs, flea markets and carnivals in these the last days of summer, we need to start thinking about our Fall baking treats and things we can make to send to school with the children.  I know that most school have cafeterias but there are still those mothers that prefer to send their children to school with something special from home.

As I think about some of my favorite Fall treats from my childhood. the one that springs into my mind first is Gingerbread.  My Mom would make this quite often in her square 9" cake pan.  A lot of people make this in a loaf pan but in our house you were served a square piece of cake sprinkled with powdered sugar.  Whipped cream was and extravagance when I was growing up and something that we normally only had for Thanksgiving with our pumpkin pies.  On rare occasions, the gingerbread was served with a small dob when there was leftover whipped cream from Thanksgiving.

Gingerbread with a dab of whipped cream

My mouth waters every time I think about this cake.  Also, when my brother and I went trick or treating there was a family a couple of block down who invited everyone in for a drink of apple cider and a piece of gingerbread.  You can't beat the old favorites.

A&P Spanish Bar

My Dad's favorite was a spice cake and he would buy a loaf at the A&P store that was a spiced cake with raisens in it.  It was baked in a loaf and was called a Spanish Loaf.  I found this recipe on the internet for making a Spanish Bar Cake.

A&P was a family owned grocery chain that closed up its stores in the Pittsburgh area.  I found a store in Erie when I traveled north.  They carried the main staples for our household and my Uncle Bill worked for them for years as a butcher and then produce manager.

A lot of people I know buy their treats and cakes from the local supermarkets instead of baking their own.  My personal favorite from Giant Eagle is their  Carrot Cake that is iced with cream cheese icing and decorated with icing carrots on top.

Carrot Cake from Supermarkets

This year they are making it in a loaf pan with the same carrot decorating on top.  Since I prefer the spice cakes such as carrot cake and gingerbread, I tend to look for these more in the Fall of the year when the days are warm but air is turning a bit cooler at night.

Carrot Cake Loaf with Cream Cheese Icing

While the recipe for carrot cake from scratch is simply delicious, you can cheat and bake a box carrot cake.  Icing the cake with cream cheese icing can be a simple as spreading it on or taking the time to pipe decorations with coloring added to the icing.

Baked Apple with Cinnamon and sugar

Another favorite was nothing fancy.  It was a baked apple that my Mom would just peel and core and pop into the oven with cinnamon and sugar poured into the middle.  I'm sure you have seen these with pie dough wrapped around them, but in our house it was the simple things that I remember the most.

Baked Apple with Pie Crust

This style baked apple can be served in a deep dish with warm cream poured over it; or as my Mom used to do, she served it with a slice of cheddar cheese on top for a selective flavor treat.

Apple pie served with cheddar cheese

I've had a hankering for some of these favorites and in the next couple of weeks I'll probably be making some of these on a small scale since I'm a widow who recently lost the son who was living with me.