Happy DIY Saturday and Happy Holidays! Thanksgiving has past and we are officially into the holiday season. Pick your choice of holiday to celebrate, every year your home comes alive with holiday cheer as your welcome guests into your home and show your appreciation of thanks throughout the year.

Have you thought of giving holiday food gifts this year? There is nothing better than getting into the holiday mood with festive goodies and treat. They are fun to make and even more enjoyable to give to neighbors, friends, co-workers, your children’s teachers and more!

Did you listen to Stagetecture Radio or download on iTunes on what to give the holiday host this season? Great ideas for gift giving for the holidays.

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You Tube: How to Make Jarred Recipe Gifts

Link to –> How to Make Jarred Recipe Gifts

Create containers for giving treats in:

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How to Make Layered Jar Recipe Gifts

Tips from Organized Home

• Choose the right container. Wide-mouth canning jars are easier to fill than standard jars, and canning jar lids seal tightly to keep flavors in and moisture out. Recycled glass jars can be used for gifts in a jar, but be sure that re-purposed jars are clean, seal tightly, and that there are no residual odors clinging to the lid.
• Use a canning funnel. Layers will settle more neatly, and jars will be easier to fill.
• Follow recipes exactly. Don’t skip steps–many recipes call for flour to be sifted before it is measured. Sifted flour will pack down more tightly in the jar than flour dipped straight from the bin.
• Layer recipes ingredients “small to large” according to texture. Place powdery ingredients like flour mix at the bottom of the jar, add larger ingredients like oatmeal next, and layer the largest ingredients–nuts or chocolate chips–at the top of the jar.

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• Tamp each layer tightly. The flat top of a meat tenderizer mallet makes a great tool to tamp down each layer of ingredients!
• For pretty layered effects, divide brown sugar into two portions. When layers reach the middle of the jar, pack half the brown sugar into a thin layer and tamp down. Add pretty ingredients like cocoa or chocolate-covered candies, then add the second half of the brown sugar to seal off the section from more powdery ingredients.
• Wrap soft materials (like marshmallows) or strongly-flavored ones (like herb mixes) in plastic food wrap before adding them to the top of your Mason jar gift. This extra step will help keep ingredients fresh and flavorful.
• For longer storage, use a vacuum sealing system, like Foodsaver brand vacuum sealer, to remove air from finished Mason jar gifts.

For more holiday ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

For more DIY ideas on Stagetecture, & Stagetecture’s YouTube Channel, click here.

Every holiday season I look forward to holiday baking and holiday desserts. Whether it’s for Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas parties or just to give away as gifts to the neighbors, holiday baking is one of the best parts of this time of year. So this week and the upcoming DIY Saturday’s throughout the holiday season – I will feature helpful tips to make your holiday home perfect.

The Best Holiday Bundt Cake Recipes

Today is all about bundt cake pans. There are so many beautiful bundt cake pans out there. I remember as a child making a bundt cake with my dad and swirling the apple cinnamon swirl though the middle of the cake batter.. and then being so surprised when we cut in the cake to see the delicious swirl in every piece!

This month Southern Living feature a Brown Sugar- Bourbon bundt cake on the cover of their November 2012 issue and I said, “I have to share this gorgeous cake”.

Enjoy!

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Brown Sugar-Bourbon Bundt Cake

Ingredients

•    1 cup butter, softened
•    1/2 cup shortening
•    1 (16-oz.) package light brown sugar
•    5 large eggs
•    1 (5-oz.) can evaporated milk
•    1/2 cup bourbon
•    3 cups all-purpose flour
•    1/2 teaspoon baking powder
•    1/2 teaspoon salt
•    1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
•    2 tablespoons powdered sugar
•    Garnishes: candied oranges, magnolia leaves

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 325°. Beat butter and shortening at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until creamy. Gradually add brown sugar, beating at medium speed until light and creamy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.
2.  Stir together evaporated milk and bourbon in a bowl. Stir together flour, baking powder, and salt in another bowl. Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with milk mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla bean paste. Pour batter into a greased and floured 10-inch (12-cup) Bundt pan.
3.  Bake at 325° for 1 hour and 5 minutes to 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 to 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely (about 1 hour). Dust top lightly with powdered sugar.

Rum-Glazed Sweet Potato Cakes

Ingredients

•    3/4 cup golden raisins
•    1/3 cup dark rum
•    4 large eggs, at room temperature
•    2 cups granulated sugar
•    1 cup vegetable oil
•    2 teaspoons vanilla extract
•    2 cups pureed roasted sweet potatoes
•    3 cups all-purpose flour
•    1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
•    1 teaspoon baking powder
•    1 teaspoon baking soda
•    1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
•    1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
•    3/4 cup buttermilk
•    1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
•    1/4 cup butter
•    3 tablespoons whipping cream
•    1/2 cup finely chopped toasted pecans

Directions

1.   Stir together first 2 ingredients. Let stand 30 minutes.
2.  Meanwhile, beat eggs and granulated sugar at high speed with an electric mixer 2 to 4 minutes or until thick and pale. Add oil and vanilla, beating at low speed just until blended. Add sweet potato puree, beating just until blended and stopping to scrape down sides as needed.
3.  Preheat oven to 350°. Sift together flour and next 5 ingredients; add to egg mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Drain raisins, reserving rum. Fold raisins into batter. Spoon batter into 3 lightly greased 12-cup Bundt brownie pans, filling each three-fourths full.
4.  Bake at 350° for 14 to 16 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on lightly greased wire racks 5 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks.
5.  While cakes are baking, bring brown sugar and next 2 ingredients to a boil in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Boil, stirring constantly, 3 minutes or until mixture begins to thicken to a syrup-like consistency. Remove from heat; stir in reserved rum.
6.  Pierce tops of cakes multiple times using a wooden pick. Dip top halves of cakes in glaze, and hold 1 to 2 seconds (to allow glaze to soak into cakes). Place, glazed sides up, on lightly greased racks. Sprinkle each cake with pecans.
Note: To puree roasted sweet potatoes, peel potatoes as soon as they are slightly cooled. Press pulp through a wire-mesh strainer with the back of a spoon. You’ll need to roast about 1 1/2 lb. potatoes for 2 cups puree.
Brought to the table by Sheri Castle (adapted from The New Southern Garden Cookbook).

 Cranberry Apple Pumpkin Bundt Cake

Ingredients

•    3/4 cup finely chopped pecans
•    1 1/2 cups peeled and diced Granny Smith apples
•    2 tablespoons butter, melted
•    1/2 cup finely chopped sweetened dried cranberries
•    1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
•    3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
•    2 cups granulated sugar
•    1 cup butter, softened
•    4 large eggs
•    1 (15-oz.) can pumpkin
•    1 tablespoon vanilla extract
•    3 cups all-purpose flour
•    2 teaspoons baking powder
•    2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
•    1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 350°. Bake pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan 6 to 8 minutes or until toasted, stirring halfway through. Cool 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325°.
2.  Toss diced apples in 2 Tbsp. melted butter to coat in a medium bowl; add cranberries, next 2 ingredients, and toasted pecans, and toss until well blended.
3.  Beat granulated sugar and 1 cup butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Add pumpkin and vanilla; beat just until blended.
4.  Stir together 3 cups flour and next 3 ingredients. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating at low speed just until blended after each addition. Spoon half of batter into a greased and floured 10-inch (12-cup) Bundt pan. Spoon apple mixture over batter, leaving a 1/2-inch border around outer edge. Spoon remaining batter over apple mixture.
5.  Bake at 325° for 1 hour and 10 minutes to 1 hour and 20 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 15 minutes. Remove from pan to wire rack; cool completely (about 2 hours).
6.  Meanwhile, prepare Sugared Pecans and Pepitas.
7.  Prepare Maple Glaze; immediately spoon onto cooled cake. Arrange pecans and pepitas on cake.

All images via Southern Living

For more holiday recipes on Stagetecture, click here.

For more DIY ideas on Stagetecture, & Stagetecture’s You Tube Channel, click here.