Fall Harvest Cake with Yogurt Frosting

This Fall Harvest Cake with Yogurt Frosting recipe was inspired by a product I received at no charge but all opinions expressed here are my own.

I grew up in New England and Fall is a very special season. It has it’s own aromas, a certain feel to the air, and a select number of foods that are abundant during that time of year. Living in the south for the last 20 years, Fall is the time of year I miss the most. I was asked to create a recipe for Stonyfield Farm that incorporated both butternut squash and yogurt into it. The word SQUASH usually incites complaints and near riots from my children. So, I decided to investigate ways to cook squash that I knew my kids would enjoy. I happened upon a recipe on the Betty Crocker website for a Butternut Squash Cake and decided to play around with it a bit and create something slightly different.

I topped this Fall Harvest Cake with a yogurt frosting. By straining the Stonyfield Farm Vanilla Greek yogurt and combining it half and half with cream cheese I managed a lower fat frosting than a traditional cream cheese frosting. Depending on the flavor you are trying to achieve, you can add extracts like maple or lemon but I just stuck with traditional vanilla. I used Nielsen Massey Vanilla Bean Paste, which is why you can see tons of little vanilla beans in the frosting. I love the way that looks!

The yogurt frosting is not as thick as regular frosting so I would not recommend using it to frost cupcakes unless you chill it first to help it hold it’s shape. It is a deliciously tangy but sweet frosting that goes perfectly well with the fall flavors in the cake. It is also lower in fat than most other cream cheese frostings. You can put the yogurt in the strainer and place in the fridge overnight or just leave it on the counter while you make the cake and it cools. Stir it occasionally to help it drain better. I recommend storing leftovers of this cake in the fridge. It is a pretty filling cake and will feed a good number of people!

Fall Harvest Cake with Yogurt Frosting

Yield: 16

Fall Harvest Cake with Yogurt Frosting

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Deliciously moist cake loaded with fruits and veggies. Topped with a tangy yogurt frosting it is a great way to celebrate Fall!

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

• For the Cake
• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1 1/2 cups shredded peeled butternut squash
• 1 1/2 cups shredded apple (2 medium)
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• For the Frosting:
• 1 8 ounce package of cream cheese
• 1 16 ounce container of Stonyfield Farm Vanilla Greek Yogurt (strained for about 4 hours)
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 TBSP vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts (divided)

Instructions

2. In a large bowl beat butter and sugar until fluffy
3. Add in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each one
4. Mix in the baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg.
5. Add the flour and buttermilk (alternating between each one)
6. Beat for about 1 to 2 minutes
7. Stir in shredded apples, squash and chopped walnuts
8. Pour into greased 13 x 9 pan
9. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until knife inserted into center comes out clean.
10. Let cool completely before cutting or frosting
11. For the frosting: Beat cream cheese, vanilla and yogurt together until smooth. slowly add in the powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Stir in 1 cup of chopped walnuts.
12. Spread frosting over cooled cake and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup chopped walnuts before serving.

Disclaimer:  In accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials.”: I received product samples  in exchange for my honest review. I received no monetary compensation. All opinions expressed here are mine and mine alone. Some of the links in this post may be “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers.