Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. I have so many fond memories of spending the holiday at my grandparents’ home and relaxing on their patio. My grandpa would smoke the turkey while my grandma prepared her signature mashed potatoes, green beans with bacon, and various side dishes. Over the last few Thanksgivings, I’ve spent more time in the kitchen, which makes me happy. I love watching the parade and the dog show while I cook and then the Dallas Cowboys in the afternoon while we eat. Typically my mom makes the turkey, while I prepare the stuffing, mashed potatoes, and side dishes – just like my grandma did! When it comes to Thanksgiving desserts, like many of you, I love traditional pies and cake.
Last year I made a decadent chocolate pecan pie in honor of my aunt who (made pecan pies every Thanksgiving) passed away in June. It was absolutely delicious, but it was so rich I had to share it with friends and neighbors because I couldn’t eat all of it! This year I knew I wanted to try to prepare a different dessert – something traditional but with a modern twist.
I fell in love with Nordic Ware bundt pans over the holidays last year and haven’t looked back. In July I bought a gorgeous autumn inspired bundt pan with leaves that I thought would be the perfect Thanksgiving dessert. I have been gradually adding more to my Amazon cart! I now have four fall inspired Nordic Ware pans that are not only beautiful but easy to use and really have the power to impress one’s guests!
With Thanksgiving just a little over a month away, today I’m excited to share four Thanksgiving desserts that will wow your guests! They are not only beautiful, but the Nordic Ware pans I used and recipes that come with them are beyond amazing as well. I prepared all of these desserts over the weekend just to get an idea of how easy they are to use and whether or not they’d be perfect for every baker regardless of experience.
While I will say the 3-D Turkey cake was a bit stressful to prepare, I still love it and think it would be great for the Thanksgiving holiday and for Friendsgiving. I hope you love the desserts I prepared as much as I do!
Are These Thanksgiving Desserts Easy To Prepare?
Yes, these Thanksgiving desserts are easy to prepare. One thing I will say is you want to make sure you grease and flour your bundt pan or loaf pan well or the cake will be difficult to remove from the pan. The designs are so intricate that you don’t want the cake to fall apart when you remove it from the pan! My mom has much more baking experience than I do, and she suggested I grease the pan with Crisco and then flour the pan. While that’s a great idea, I just use Bakers Joy Non-Stick Cooking Spray. It comes with flour in it, which is an added bonus. The spray is so easy to use and is very affordable too! Just make sure you shake the can well and spread an even light coat and you’ll be set.
Are Nordic Ware Pans Good Quality?
Yes, Nordic Ware bundt pans are great quality! They are made of heavy cast aluminum in the United States, which is fantastic. One of my favorite things about the family owned company is the headquarters are in Minnesota where my grandparents were born and raised, and where many of my relatives still live. Most of the products are still made in Minneapolis where co-owners Dotty and Dave Dolquist started their company in 1946!
Not only are they great quality, but they make fantastic gifts for the novice baker to the matriarch or patriarch of your family! I love baking with my mom and hope to be half the baker she is!.
How I Clean And Store My Nordic Ware Pans
I hand wash all of my bundt pans and store them in my cupboard. Some of them are seasonal, so I plan on packing them with my fall and Thanksgiving decor. They’re very sturdy and of great quality that I don’t have to worry about anything happening to them. That reminds me, if I keep buying Nordic Ware pans, I’m going to have to buy an extra cabinet or two as I have so many on my list! 😉
4 Beautiful Thanksgiving Desserts That Will Wow Your Guests
The Gorgeous Harvest Bounty Loaf Pan Every Host and Hostess Needs
I fell in love with the Nordic Ware Harvest Bounty Loaf Pan years ago, but it was sold out every time I tried to order it. In fact, I actually ordered it last year for a project I was working on, and it was lost in transit. I was so upset but didn’t give up hope. I knew I’d purchase the pan eventually. I was so happy when I found it in stock at Amazon last month and bought it immediately! I’m so glad I did, this gorgeous loaf pan is so easy to use and the cake turned out delicious.
While it comes with a recipe, I used the Betty Crocker Delights Super Moist Spice Cake Mix and it turned out perfect! I love the beautiful three-dimensional pumpkins, autumn leaves, and acorns.
After the loaf was baked, I set it on a cooling rack to cool. Since I wanted the loaf to sit smoothly on the platter, I made sure and cut the top so it laid flat. It was very easy to remove from the cake pan because I used Bakers Joy cooking spray. I highly recommend it!
This fall-inspired loaf cake was absolutely beautiful, in fact it was almost too beautiful to eat! I’m making another this week for a friend’s mother’s birthday. You can gift the pan or the loaf cake to friends, co-workers, and neighbors. They will be in awe of the beauty!
This magnificent pan will help you make a delicious and beautiful Thanksgiving dessert. You can serve it with tea, coffee, or with mimosas at brunch. There are so many options!
Since I love the Monique Lluhilier Collection at Pottery Barn, I purchased a few entertaining essentials from the Monique Lhuillier for Pottery Barn Juliana Collection! This gorgeous white scalloped serving platter with ruffled trim (is from the collection) looks amazing adorned with fall cakelets and my beautiful loaf cake. I highly recommend everything on this dish including the platter!
Nordic Ware Harvest Leaves Bundt Pan Is A Thanksgiving Dessert Must Have
I bought the beautiful bronze Nordic Ware Harvest Leaves Bundt Pan in July and fell in love with it instantly. The first time I used the pan, I made a devil’s food cake using a box cake mix. While the round cake with gorgeous three-dimensional leaves turned out beautiful, it was very hard to see just how intricate the design really is and how defined the leaves are.
This weekend I used the pumpkin spice cake recipe that came with the pan and I’m so glad I did. The cake was a gorgeous autumn hue and the leaves were more defined than when I made the cake the first time a few months ago.
The cake looks amazing on this white cake stand, and I think it will look fantastic on a rustic wood cake stand as well.
It is the perfect Thanksgiving dessert. This is also ideal for an October or November birthday, a bridal shower, an anniversary party, or “just because.”
The gorgeous and durable Nordic Ware Harvest Leaves bundt pan is only $30.98 with free Amazon Prime shipping! It is very easy to use, and I highly recommend it.
If you’re interested in learning more about my cake stand, this stunning white ruffled cake stand is a part of the Monique Lhuillier for Pottery Barn Juliana Collection! It is absolutely breathtaking and perfect for any occasion including Thanksgiving!
Autumn Cakelets Are A Thanksgiving Dessert & Entertaining Essential
Who doesn’t love cakelets? I know I sure do! One of the many great things about cakelets (mini cakes) is you can place them on a platter and guests can help themselves when entertaining. I purchased the Nordic Ware Seasonal Collection Autumn Cakelette Pan last month and tried it a few times over the weekend.
The first time I used it I tried a typical box cake mix. While the cakelettes tasted divine, the detailing on the pumpkins, leaves, acorns, and mini turkeys wasn’t defined. You couldn’t really tell what they were.
I gave the cakelettes to a friend and decided to give this beautiful pan another try with the Nordic Ware maple autumn cakelettes recipe that came with the pan. Boy am I glad I did! The cakelettes turned out phenomenal. The recipe called for maple extract, but I didn’t have any so I used vanilla extract. I know you aren’t supposed to eat raw batter, but it was so good, I couldn’t help myself!
As you can see in the photo below, the autumn inspired cakelettes turned out beautiful using the brand’s recipe. I highly recommend this pan and think it’s a Thanksgiving entertaining essential, especially since you can leave the mini cakes (on a platter, charcuterie board or a cake stand) on your console table, dining table, tea cart, or kitchen counter so guests can help themselves.
Nordic Ware 3-D Turkey Cake Will Impress Your Thanksgiving Guests
I stumbled on this Nordic Ware 3-D Turkey Pan last week and had to have it. Yes, just like the other pans I’ve bought, it won me over instantly. I guess I must have been feeling overly confident when I purchased it because I definitely didn’t feel that way when I made it!
The pan is longer than the others I’ve used since there are two turkeys (one on each side). The first time I made it, I used two cake mixes. I wanted to make sure I had enough batter to fill the body, the head, and the beak. I felt pretty confident when the timer buzzed and I placed the toothpick inside the turkey’s body and it was clear. I placed it on the cooling rack long enough for it to fully cool, but the base fell apart. Not only that but the cake wasn’t defined.
I have come to learn that it’s always BEST to use the recipe Nordic Ware includes in the box. The color is ideal, the batter is a perfect consistency, and it’s dense enough to hold up a three-dimensional turkey!
The second time around I used the recipe on the box, which is absolutely delicious, and filled the pan three-quarters of the way. The consistency was far different than the original cake mix I used and could tell this was going to be a winner!
After the cakes were fully cooked I let them cool on the cooling rack, and then took them both out of the pan as the directions asked. I sliced the top (the belly of the turkey) so the turkey will lay flat when you stick both sides together. The directions then ask you to put one side of the turkey back in the pan and frost (the inside of the cake that is in the pan) before placing the other cake on top of it. You have to let the cake stand for an hour after doing this so it fully sets. I was nervous pulling the cake out of the pan, but all in all, it turned out fine.
I will say that my mom and I were just experimenting when decorating this cake so we put far too much frosting on it. She used brown food coloring and painted the frosting brown so there wasn’t any contrast!
Being the perfectionist I am, I’m definitely going to experiment more with this cake pan. The instructions say you can use cornbread or stuffing instead of an actual cake. Both will be ideal for Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving, or fall in general.
I think this beautiful turkey looks great adorning my white La Porcellana Bianca Firenze Cake Stand which I use at least once a week, especially when entertaining!
All in all, I’m really happy with my Thanksgiving desserts. I hope they’ve inspired you to try something new. They’re beautiful and will definitely wow your guests. Please let me know if you try any of these pans (or any other Nordic Ware pans). I’d love to hear about your experience and whether you think I need to add more to my collection!
Beautiful Fall Inspired Tablecloth
Last but definitely not least, I am head over heels in love with this beautiful fall inspired print tablecloth from the brand Benson & Mills on Amazon. It is spillproof, which is an added bonus. I love the elegant modern print and the gorgeous autumn colors. I bought the 60″ x 84″ tablecloth and can’t believe how great the quality is at such an affordable price.
This gorgeous tablecloth is ideal for your Thanksgiving tablescape, dessert table, or the kids table! It’s an absolute must and has fantastic reviews. Did I mention that it is machine washable and can be tumble dried on low? Even better!
