Do you love fall? Do you anxiously await the changing leaves and red and gold colors, that stack up on the sidewalks in big crispy piles? The sweet smells of pumpkin bread baking in the oven or apple cider simmering on the stove? I do, and I find myself wanting to savor every last bit while it’s here.
Fall in Portland is very different than where I grew up in Southern California. I used to dream of seasons in L.A., which never happened, as you would go from sunny to hot to super hot weather. The only changes usually came in the form of Santa Ana winds or smoggy days. I wanted seasons! So when we moved to Portland, Oregon, I was in heaven. I still am! Here fall means cooler weather and picking apples, baking spice cakes and sipping hot tea. I love fall!
And since we’re talking about Fall, I’m going to share one of my favorite fall cakes, which is super easy to make! You can easily substitute apples for the pears, and use either fresh or frozen cranberries. This recipe uses my white cake mix (Julie’s Original), which makes it even easier to make. Plus it’s gluten-free and vegan too! Let me know if you make it. I’d love to hear what you think!
xo Julie
- 1 package of Julie’s Original White Cake Mix
- 1 1/2 cups cup non-dairy milk (I used soy)
- 1/3 cup canola oil
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 ripe pears, peeled and cored, diced
- 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
- 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- About 3 tablespoons soy or almond milk (can be plain or vanilla)
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch glass or metal baking dish.
- Mix everything (except for the pears and cranberries) together in a bowl. Beat until smooth. Stir in the pears and cranberries. Spread the batter into the greased baking pan. Bake the cake until a tester comes out clean (about 55 to 60 minutes).
- While the cake is baking, combine the powdered sugar and 3 tablespoons milk in a bowl. Beat or whisk really well, until the icing is smooth and thick, but spreadable. I like to use a hand mixer or beaters for this.
- Spread or drizzle the icing over the cooled cake and let sit until the glaze is set and hardened, or skip the icing and dust the cake with powdered sugar. Enjoy!
- Gluten-Free + Vegan
