So, outside of all pies, how about a Bundt cake? Do you have an old Bundt pan (16 cup)? I have several recipes which are excellent naked, pretty just from the pan. Sunset Magazine pumpkin and chocolate marble (canned pumpkin and I use Valrhona cocoa for the depth of flavor). Key lime with a soak, which was very popular some time ago (best with fresh key limes, but wear gloves while juicing them, if you do it by hand). And strawberry, if you have fresh strawberries for a decent price where you are. It calls for 15 oz., which is the standard rectangular clamshell box. Let me know if you want the recipe(s).

Cookies are always great. You can do plain favorites, like chocolate chip or oatmeal, decorated gingerbread men, Thanksgiving threme rolled cookies, or whatever. Or go fancy with linzer or othe sandwich cookies. Or whoopie pies or mini s'mores or other childhood stars.

Or a plain ol' frosted sheet cake.

Or pans of gingerbread. And shortbread. And browines. Or Chloebud's awesome pumpkin bars, which are awesome with or without the cream cheese icing.

All of these are fine for Thanksgiving, and great for portioning according to crowd size.

I recently saved this recipe to make sometime this fall. Snickerdoodles seem to be a universal hit whenever I take them to potlucks.

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

Something that I have made for Thanksgiving Potlucks (and Christmas, too) is an Apple Cranberry Crisp. Easy and pretty. I use a recipe in one of my little church cookbooks, but this looks close:

Apple Cranberry Crisp

I’ve taken Smitten Kitchen’s raspberry bars, often baked in a loose bottom pan, to friendsgiving at work. No fork required, can be cut small for sampling, have been requested again.

https://smittenkitchen.com/2019/05/raspberry-crumble-tart-bars/

Spice cake.

Rose Levy Beranbaum’s Lemon Poppyseed Cake

Calls for a lemon glaze that is brushed onto/into the top of the cake.

Delicious.

Bars seem a good choice. Maybe something other than pumpkin since there might be plenty of that. These Caramel Crumb Bars are very good.

Caramel Crumb Bars

Dough
8 oz butter (2 sticks), softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Filling
4 tbls butter
1 tbls light corn syrup
1/4 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
1 (14 oz) can sweetened, condensed milk

One 9 x 13 x 2 inch pan, buttered and lined fully (bottom and sides) with buttered parchment or foil

Set rack in lowest level of oven and preheat to 350.

For the dough, beat the butter, sugar and salt in an electric mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed until soft and light, 2-3 minutes. Add the vanilla.

On lowest speed, beat in 2 1/4 cups flour, scraping the bowl and paddle with a rubber spatula, continuing to mix until the dough is smooth, and the flour has been absorbed.Remove the bowl from the mixer and scrape 3/4 of the dough into the prepared pan. Using your palm, press the dough down evenly, without compressing it too much. Chill the dough lined pan. Work the remaining 1/4 cup flour into the remaining dough with your fingertips, so that it forms 1/8-1/4 inch crumbs. Set aside at room temp.

For the filling, in a medium saucepan, combine all filling ingredients and simmer, stirring occasionally. All the mixture to boil gently, stirring often, until it starts to thicken and darken slightly, about 10 minutes. Pour into a stainless steel bowl to cool for 5 minutes.

Remove the dough lined pan from the refrigerator and scrape the cooled filling onto the dough, using a small offset spatula to spread the filling evenly on the dough. Scatter the crumb mixture on the filling.

Bake until the filling is bubbling gently and is a deep caramel color and the dough and crumb topping are baked through, about 30 minutes.

Cool in the pan on a rack until lukewarm, 15-20 minutes. Lift the slab of baked dough out of the pan and onto a cutting board before it has cooled completely. Cut the slab into 2 inch squares.

Storage - Keep these at room temp if you are serving them within a day. If not, wrap and freeze them and make sure to defrost and bring to room temp. before serving.

Also Ina G’s Apple Pie Bars are a favorite.

Apple Pie Bars

I just took 2 Cranberry- Orange pecan loaves out of the oven .

Very easy to stir up and only 3 oz of oil in each loaf for a 9x5 glass pan. They have a 1/2 cup of buttermilk and a 1/2 cup of OJ in each loaf and a 1/2c white sugar and 1/2c brown sugar in each. So very low fat and low sugar compared to so many recipes. I’ve taken it to pot lucks and it always disappears first off the table.

The most perfect cranberry orange pecan cake.

Apples would be seasonal. A sheet pan apple cake is easy, portionable and portable.

Does it have to be dessert?

Apple crisp or a pumpkin roll would be seasonal, as would those pumpkin whoopie pies that I like far too well. Baked apple cider or pumpkin spice donuts are good as are those pumpkin based sweet rolls, like a cinnamon roll. Add maple glaze, yum.

Truthfully, though, I think I'm going to make Trailrunner's cranberry bread tomorrow, it's just calling my name, I can hear it!

Annie

So may good suggestions! Yes, Plllog, the recipes to the bundts would be great.

Olychick, I have grands that love snickerdoodles and pumpkin pie, so those cookies should be a winner with them and glad to get the apple cranberry for a different crisp. I love those church and organization cookbooks!

Lisaam and chloebud, both of those bars sound delicious and I'm an Ina recipe lover, too!

Still trailing, those slices of cranberry cake/bread make me hungry. I make those loaves every year for the holidays. So good!

Sherry8aNorthAL, spice cake sounds so fall/autumn. It brings back memories of my childhood, but I don't think I've ever made a spice cake as an adult. My Mom always put nuts and raisins in hers.

petalique, I've got Rose's book-will have to look at that recipe. I do love lemon loaves and cakes and her's ought to be the best.

floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK, I have a recipe for a raw apple cake that is usually well received-hadn't thought of that and it would certainly be seasonal and easy.

Nancy Todd, yes, my assignment is a dessert.

annie1992, I thought of the pumpkin roll, but was concerned about how they would fare sitting on a dessert table. Any thoughts on that? I'm going to do a search for the whoopie pies. They aren't familar to me.

Thanks to all of you for your ideas and recipes. I'm always glad to add to my collection and love getting tried and true recipes.

Let us know what you decide!

[Here's the pumpkin chocolate marble cake. I make it as written, but with the Valrhona cocoa. I thought it required a 16 cup bundt, but it says 12. I'm sure I had extra batter when I tried a 12 cup pan. It's always a crowd pleaser.

I rewrote to to make it easier to follow:]

Chocolate-Pumpkin Marble Cake Sunset Magazine November 2003

http://sunset.com/recipe/chocolate-pumpkin-marble-cake

by Charity Ferreira

Prep and Cook time: About 1.5 hours, plus at least 2 hours to cool.

Notes: Two separate batters are swirled together to create this playful marbled pound cake.

Makes: 12 to 16 servings

Batter Base (made in mixer then divided in two):

1 1/2 cups (3/4 lb.) butter, at room temperature

3 cups sugar

6 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

Pumpkin Batter:

half of batter base

1 1/4 cups canned pumpkin

Pumpkin's dry ingredients below stirred together in one prep bowl:

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Chocolate Batter:

half of batter base

2/3 cup buttermilk

Chocolate's dry ingredients below stirred together in another prep bowl:

3/4 cup Dutch-processed unsweetened cocoa

1 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Make Batter Base: In a large bowl, with a mixer on medium speed, beat butter and sugar until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Scrape half the mixture into another bowl.

2 Make Pumpkin Batter: Beat pumpkin into half the butter mixture until well blended. Add flour mixture (pumpkin's dry ingredients) to pumpkin mixture and beat on low speed or fold in with a flexible spatula just until blended.

3. Make Chocolate Batter: Add flour mixture (chocolate's dry ingredients) alternately with the buttermilk to the other half of the butter mixture (starting and ending with flour mixture), beating after each addition just until blended.

4. Marble the batters together in the pan: Spoon half the pumpkin batter into a buttered and floured 12-cup bundt-cake pan. Drop half the chocolate batter by spoonfuls over (but not entirely covering) the pumpkin batter. Repeat to spoon remaining pumpkin and chocolate batters into pan. Gently run the blade of a butter knife around the center of the pan several times, then draw the knife across the width of the pan in 10 to 12 places to swirl batters.

5. Bake and cool: Bake in a 350° regular or 325° convection oven until a wood skewer inserted into center of cake comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 55 to 60 minutes. Let cake cool 10 minutes in pan, then invert onto a rack, lift off pan, and cool cake completely.

Optional Chocolate glaze (for gilding the lily--not necessary):

4 oz. chopped semi-sweet chocolate (or Toll-House chips)

1/2 cup whipping cream

1 TBSP butter

1 tsp. corn syrup.

In a heat-proof bowl or the top of a double boiler, combine ingredients. Bring an inch or two of water to a boil in a pan that the bowl can nest in or in the bottom of double boiler, then remove from heat. Place chocolate mixture over water and let stand, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth, about 10 minutes.

Yet another option if you do the glaze:

1/2 cup chopped roasted unsalted peanuts

6. Glaze and peanuts: Pour warm chocolate glaze over the top of the cooled cake, letting it drip down the sides. Sprinkle glaze with peanuts if desired. Let stand until glaze is set, about 2 hours, or chill about 30 minutes.

Key Lime Bundt Cake

[This is a splendid cake. Good plain, better with the soak. Does not need any glaze or topping. Bakes beige to toast on the outside and a nice pale green inside.]

Ingredients

Cake:

2 Cups extra fine sugar (C&H Baking Sugar)

Zest of three key limes, (2 if using limes) finely minced

1 Cup unsalted butter, room temperature

4 eggs

2 yolks

2 Teaspoons vanilla extract

2 Tablespoons key lime juice

1/2 Teaspoon lime oil or lemon extract

1-1/3 Cups heavy cream

3-3/4 Cups all purpose flour

4 Teaspoons baking powder

1/2 Teaspoon baking soda

1/4 Teaspoon salt

Key Lime Syrup:

3/4 Cup water

1/2 Cup key lime juice

1-1/2 Cups sugar

1/2 Teaspoon lime oil or lemon extract

Cream Cheese Glaze:

8 ounces cream cheese

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon key lime juice

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon each, lemon and lime zest, finely minced

1 1/4 - 1 1/2 cups sifted confectioner's sugar

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spray 12-cup Bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Mix together sugar and zest for 2 minute to help release the oils. Add butter to sugar and zest and cream mixture. Blend in eggs, yolks, and extracts on low to blends, scraping bowl. Add in remaining ingredients and blend into a smooth batter.

Pour batter into cake pan and bake for 1 hour or until cake tests done. Cake will be lightly golden brown and firm to the touch when you press your fingers on it.

While cake is baking make Key Lime Syrup:

In a small suace bring all syrup ingredients to a boil and simmer 5 minutes.

When cake is done remove from oven and pour all but approximately 1/3 cup of the syrup over cake while still in pan. Pour so syrup goes down sides and around the center tube. Set reserved 1/3 cup syrup aside. Let cake cool for 15 minutes and invert onto serving dish. With pastry brush, coat the top of the cake where glaze didn't reach with the remaining syrup.

Let cake cool completely and glaze with Cream Cheese Glaze.

Cream Cheese Glaze Directions:

Soften cream cheese and cream with butter. Stir in lime juice, vanilla, and lime zest. Fold in confectioner's sugar to make a soft, drippy glaze. If glaze is too thick, thin by stirring in 1 teaspon of hot water at a time until the glaze is at the desired consistency. Drizzle over cooled cake. Allow to set.

Yield Serves 12-16

If you haven't worked with glazes much this recipe is made without cream cheese but will coat the top of the cake and drizzle down the sides nicely.

Another glaze

1/4 cup butter

3 tablespoons milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups powdered sugar

1 tablespoon key lime juice

1 tablespoon each, lemon and lime zest, finely minced

.

Melt butter in microwave. Stir in milk, vanilla, key lime juice and zest. Mix well. Add powdered sugar ( may not need all 2 cups). Mix until smooth. Thin with hot water...added 1 teaspoon at a time, mixing well after each addition of hot water, until desired consistency achieved.

This is an original Meemo's Kitchen recipe include and post full and clear credit to Pattie Kaykes and Meemo's Kitchen [I haven't been able to find it on the web for years.]

Strawberry Bundt Cake with White Chocolate Ganache

Cook Time: 50 minutes

one (approx. 9 inch) bundt cake

[I have never done it with the ganache. It bakes up a nice toasty colored on the outside and pink in the middle. It makes fine GF using buckwheat flour one to one, but the inner color is a kind of taupe-pink which isn't so pretty. Tastes just fine, though Link at the bottom to the original. Full form below for easier reading.]

This light, tender, and moist bundt cake has a vibrant taste of strawberries, matched with the perfect amount of sweetness. It's excellent alone, but even more special garnished with a creamy white chocolate glaze and chocolate-covered strawberries. With its beautiful presentation, it's sure to make Valentine's Day - or any other occasion - memorable!

Ingredients

Strawberry Bundt Cake

• 15 ounces chopped strawberries (3 cups)*
• 1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 12 3/4 ounces all-purpose flour (3 cups, spoon and sweep)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 5 ounces unsalted butter (10 tablespoons), softened
• 5 5/8 ounces brown sugar (3/4 cup, packed)
• 5 1/4 ounces vanilla sugar or granulated sugar (3/4 cup)
• 2 extra-large eggs plus 1 yolk
• 4 1/4 ounces plain yogurt (1/2 cup)**
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon red food coloring

Chocolate-Covered Strawberries

White Chocolate Ganache

• 5 1/2 ounces white chocolate chips (1 cup), or chopped white chocolate***
• 2 1/8 ounces heavy cream (1/4 cup)

Instructions

Strawberry Bundt Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. Place the chopped strawberries in an 11" x 7" baking dish and sprinkle the 1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar on top. Roast in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, and then set aside to cool for about 15 minutes.
3. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F and grease a 12-cup bundt pan with cooking spray, making sure to coat all of the grooves of the pan.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.
5. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter, vanilla sugar, and brown sugar until the mixture is even in color and texture and the color has lightened a bit. One at a time, add the eggs and egg yolk, beating between each addition until well-combined. Wipe down the mixing bowl as needed.
6. In a blender, puree the cooled strawberries with the yogurt until smooth. Add to the batter in the stand mixer along with the vanilla extract and red food coloring. Beat in on low speed until the batter is even in color and everything is well-combined, wiping down the bottom and sides of the bowl to make sure everything is incorporated. Sift the dry ingredients into the wet and fold in with a spatula until just combined; do not overmix!
7. Pour the batter into the greased bundt pan, spreading it out to fill every crevice of the pan and smoothing out the top. Wrap the pan firmly on the counter a few times to eliminate any trapped air bubbles. Bake in the preheated oven for 50-53 minutes, just until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Then, rap the pan on the counter a few times to loosen the cake, place the cooling rack upside-down over the pan, and turn the cake out onto the rack. Cover the top and sides with plastic wrap, and let the cake cool on the rack until it is no longer warm to the touch. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap until ready to decorate.****
8. Make the chocolate-covered strawberries (recipe here) and plan how you will place them on the cake before making the ganache glaze. The recipe makes more strawberries than you will need for the cake, but this is intentional; you will likely have some that turn out better than others. Extras can always be used for additional garnish when serving.

White Chocolate Ganache

1. Place the white chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl.
2. In a separate, microwave-safe container, microwave the heavy cream for 20-30 seconds, just until it starts to boil. Pour the cream over the white chocolate, making sure that most of the white chocolate is covered. Let sit for 5 minutes. Then, stir in a gentle, circular motion until the white chocolate has melted completely and the mixture is smooth. If needed, microwave for another 10 seconds at a time, stirring gently between intervals, until smooth. If a few small bits of chocolate aren't melting or you happen to get air bubbles in the ganache, strain it through a sieve before continuing. The ganache should be very thick, so that it falls in a slow stream from the bowl. If needed, chill it in the fridge briefly, about 5-10 minutes, and then stir again until smooth.*****

Assembly:

1. Drizzle the ganache over the bundt cake, pouring over the top and letting it pool slowly down the sides. Arrange the strawberries on top, and let the ganache set.
2. Serve cake the day it is assembled. Any leftovers should be covered tightly in plastic wrap and kept in the refrigerator. Be sure to put plastic wrap over cut edges as well to keep the cake moist.
3. Enjoy!

Notes

*For best results, I would suggest using strawberries that are not overly ripe (soft or mushy) in this recipe.

**I used lowfat yogurt; feel free to use regular or nonfat instead.

***Use a good-quality white chocolate for this recipe. I've found that white chocolate is really temperamental to melt, and the higher quality your chocolate is, the more likely it is that it will melt smoothly. If you can buy white chocolate made specifically for melting, that's probably even better!

**** This cake can be made the day before and decorated the day you plan to serve it. Keep the cake wrapped tightly in plastic wrap at room temperature until decorated.

*****If you aren't sure whether your ganache is at the perfect consistency for drizzling on the cake, just test it by pouring a little bit on and seeing how it settles. If you chill the ganache and end up getting it a little too thick, microwave it for 5-10 seconds, just until it's reached the right consistency.

http://brighteyedbaker.com/2013/02/11/confession-109-i-buy-too-much-chocolate-strawberry-bundt-cake-with-white-chocolate-ganache/

I might go with a flourless chocolate cake, especially because it’s gluten free.

I find these pumpkin pie blondies irresistable: https://www.lifeloveandsugar.com/pumpkin-pie-blondie-bars/#tasty-recipes-157136-jump-target

(but oooh that key lime cake sounds like one I've gotta try!)

The pumpkin roll sits on my dessert buffet for a couple of hours while we eat dinner and it's fine but I'm not sure I'd leave it much longer than that.

I think I like the pumpkin whoopie pies because they have approximately the same flavor as the pumpkin roll, the soft pumpkin cookies with the cream cheese filling, although I also have a filling recipe that takes marshmallow cream.

Have fun, no matter what you decide to take!

Annie

Sharing this that came in an email yesterday.

Sweet Potato Cake

How about brownies?

Yes, Olychick! I make gingerbread cake with optional lemon sauce/curd and optional lightly sweetened whipped cream. Always a company favorite!

Olychick, my mom adored gingerbread and made it often topped with whipped cream. We loved it, except for the time my jokester dad managed to replace the whipped cream with shaving lotion.😖

My mother used to make an orange-lemon sauce to go on gingerbread.