Harvest grateful smiles with Thanksgiving-inspired treats

Family Features

With autumn comes cooler temperatures, colorful leaves and the holiday season.

The food crafting experts at Wilton Enterprises have festive ideas to transform typical Thanksgiving desserts into unique creations.

Start by adding a special touch to a basic spice cake using Autumn Cupcake and Cookie Stencils. Simply place the stencil — choose from turkeys, pilgrim hats, pumpkins and more — over your iced cake and sprinkle with colored sugars.

The stencils are easy to use and will make your baked goods a feast for the eyes.

Try substituting Harvest Whoopie Pies for pumpkin pie — cream cheese icing sandwiched between bite-sized cakes will definitely have guests giving thanks.

Or, make Festive Fall Leaf Cookies to resemble the vibrant leaves of the season.

Prepare dough and tint portions green, red, orange and yellow. When the dough is lightly kneaded together, it creates color-splashed cookies sure to be a favorite of hungry pilgrims around your table.

Plus, this treat can be made in advance, allowing more time for day-of preparations and activities.

Remember to save room, and pair goodies with seasonal beverages like warm apple cider, pumpkin spice lattes or hot cocoa.

For a fun take home, wrap Fall Popcorn Balls in Pumpkin Patch Party Bags – guests will be joy-FULL and thank-FULL.

For more Thanksgiving decorating ideas and recipes, or to purchase bakeware and other products, visit www.wilton.com.

Autumn Spice Stencil Cake

Favorite spice cake recipe

4 cups Buttercream Icing (recipe available on www.wilton.com)

Ivory and Golden Yellow Icing Colors

Autumn Cupcake and Cookie Stencils

Red, Orange, Black and Green Colored Sugars

Brown Color Dust

Colorful Leaves Sprinkle Mix

Spray 9 in. x 13 in. baking pan with vegetable pan spray. Bake spice cake in prepared pan following recipe instructions. Cool completely.

Tint about 1 cup icing yellow; tint remainder ivory. Using a spatula, smooth ice the cake with ivory buttercream. Pipe tip #21 yellow buttercream shell bottom border; pipe tip #14 shells in straight lines on top of the cake.

Use decorating stencils, sugars and Color Dust to create Thanksgiving images in each square following instructions on the package. Gently press leaf sprinkles onto sides of cake.