Apple Butter Banana Bread

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour 
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder 
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda 
• ¼ teaspoon salt 
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg 
• 2 slightly beaten eggs 
• 3/4 cup sugar 
• ½ cup mashed ripe banana (2 small) 
• ½ cup apple butter 
• ¼ cup canola or cooking oil

Grease and flour the bottom and ½ inch up the sides of a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan; set aside. In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg. Make a well in center of the flour mixture; set aside.

In a medium bowl combine eggs, sugar, banana, apple butter, and oil. Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened (batter should be lumpy). Spoon batter into prepared pan.

Bake in a 350 degree oven about 45 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool completely on a wire rack. Wrap and store overnight before slicing. Makes 1 loaf 16 servings.

Apple Butter Anniversary Cake

Prep time: 20 min, Cook Time: 1 hrs , Yield: 12 servings

Cake

• baking spray
• 1 (18.25 oz.) package yellow cake mix
• 1 cup apple butter
• ⅓ cup sour cream 
• ⅓ cup vegetable oil
• ⅓ cup water
• 4 large eggs
• 1¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ⅛ teaspoon ground ginger
• ⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
• No-Stick Spray

Filling

• 1½ cups peeled, chopped apples
• ⅓ cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon Pillsbury BEST® All Purpose Flour
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
• ½ cup finely chopped, toasted pecans

Frosting

• 1 pkg (3.4o z) vanilla instant pudding mix
• ¼ cup powdered sugar
• 1 container (8 oz) frozen whipped topping, not thawed
• 1 can (8 oz) crushed pineapple, well drained
• ½ cup finely chopped, toasted pecans

Heat oven to 350°F. Spray a 12-cup tube pan with no-stick flour cooking spray.

Beat cake ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer at medium speed just until blended, about two minutes. Spread batter in prepared pan.

Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 15 minutes. Remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely. Place cake on serving plate.

Combine all filling ingredients except pecans in large saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 3 to 4 minutes or until apples are tender. Stir in pecans.

Mark center of side of cake with toothpicks. Using a long serrated knife, slice cake in half. Carefully remove top half. Spoon filling onto bottom half. Replace top half of cake.

Combine pudding mix, powdered sugar and whipped topping in a medium bowl. Beat on the lowest speed of an electric mixer for one minute. Fold in drained pineapple. Spread on top and sides of cake. Sprinkle pecans evenly around top of cake. Store in refrigerator.

Tip: to toast pecans, place pecans in dry nonstick skillet, cook over medium heat, shaking pan until nuts are lightly browned.