Sheet Cake, Pumpkin Bars, Cranberry Sauce . . . Losing 30 lbs????

Ok, so here are a few recipes I promised I would post.  Sorry this is so late, it just seems like every time I sit down at the computer Blake wakes up or is hungry again! :)  So, without further adieu, here are the recipes for sheet cake, pumpkin bars and a cinnamon apple cranberry sauce we are making for Thanksgiving this week.  You can tell me how that turns out since we haven't tried it yet either!  Sounds like my lose 30 lbs of baby weight plan is going askew!

Sheet Cake
Cake:
2 c flour
2 c sugar
1 c water
1 c butter
3 Tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 c buttermilk
2 eggs
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla

Frosting:
1/2 c butter
3 Tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla
2 Tbsp milk
2 1/2 c powdered sugar

Combine flour and sugar.  Bring water, butter, 3 tbsp cocoa powder to boil in saucepan and stir until smooth. Pour over flour and sugar and mix with a beater.  Add the buttermilk, eggs, soda and vanilla and mix.  Pour into a sheet pan (9x13) sprayed with nonstick spray and bake @400 degrees for 17 minutes.

For frosting, when the cake is done, bring the butter, cocoa and vanilla to boil.  Remove from the heat and quickly add the milk and powdered sugar.  Spread over cake while hot.

Pumpkin Bars
Cake:
2 c sugar
4 eggs
2 c canned pumpkin
1 c canola oil
2 c flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves

Frosting:
3 oz cream cheese
1/2 c butter
1 tsp vanilla
3 c powdered sugar
1 Tbsp milk (if required to get right consistency)

Cream sugar, eggs, pumpkin and oil with a hand mixer.  Combine the flour, baking powder, soda, cinnamon and cloves.  Add to the pumpkin mixture.  Bake in a greased pan @350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.

For the frosting, mix the ingredients well and cover bars when cool.

Cinnamon Apple Cranberry Sauce
2 c cranberry juice
1 (6 oz) bag sweetened dried cranberries
1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
1 c sugar
2 Gala apples, peeled, cored and diced
2 tsp cornstarch

In medium saucepan, over medium heat, add juice, cranberries, cinnamon and sugar.  Bring to a boil and let cook for 5 minutes.  Add the apples and cook, stirring occasionally, until cranberries have softened and apples are tender (about 5 minutes).

Remove 8 oz of liquid to a small bowl and whisk in the cornstarch.  Slowly add back to the cranberry mixture, stirring constantly.  Cook for 5 more minutes.  Remove from the heat and refrigerate in the serving bowl until thickened (about 30 minutes).  Remove the cinnamon sticks and serve.