Delicious pumpkin treats make great holiday gifts

Gift-Giving Pumpkin Cranberry Breads

6 cups all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon salt

6 cups sugar

1 can (29 oz.) pumpkin

8 large eggs

2 cups vegetable oil

1 cup orange juice or water

2 cups sweetened cranberries, dried, fresh or frozen

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour four 9-by-5-inch loaf pans.

In a large bowl, combine flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt; set aside.

In another large bowl, combine sugar, pumpkin, eggs, oil and juice with a wire whisk; mix until just blended. Add to flour mixture and stir until just moistened. Fold in cranberries.

Spoon 4 cups batter into each prepared pan. Bake for 60 to 65 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. Wrap loaves in plastic wrap.

Mini Pumpkin Pecan Orange Soaked Cakes

½ cup chopped pecans

1 box (18.25 oz.) spice cake mix

1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin

1 cup vegetable oil

4 large eggs

¼ cup butter or margarine

½ cup sugar

2 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons grated orange peel

2 tablespoons orange juice

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 6-cake mini Bundt pans. Sprinkle nuts over the bottoms.

In a bowl, blend cake mix, pumpkin, oil and eggs with an electric mixer on low speed until blended. Beat for 4 minutes on medium speed. Spoon ½ cup batter into each mold. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in cakes comes out clean.

In a saucepan, bring butter, sugar, water and orange peel to a boil. Remove from heat; stir in juice.

With the back of a spoon, gently pat down dome of cakes to flatten. Cool in pans for 5 minutes; invert onto wire racks. Poke holes in cakes with a wooden pick. Spoon a tablespoon of orange syrup over each cake. Allow syrup to soak in. Cool completely; serve or wrap for gifts. Yields 12 cakes.