Finally, it has come. That one exponentially more beautiful time of the year than any other — autumn. Although California does not provide us with gray skies, chilly afternoons, auburn leaves, or a place where we can dress ourselves with wool socks, leather boots, thick sweaters and colossal scarves, we all crave one seasonally scrumptious delicacy — pumpkin spice. In light of the Autumn Equinox rolling around the corner, I will provide you with two different recipes just in time for this fall season.

Pumpkin-Banana Bread is oriented towards the “on-the-go” college student who wants to bake with ease during the most treasured time of the year.

Chocolate-Chunk Pumpkin Banana Bread:

2 bananas

1 cup pureed pumpkin

1/3 cup butter

2 eggs

1 box Banana Bread Mix (Trader Joe’s)

1/3 cup semisweet or bittersweet Chocolate chunks

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 °F.

2. Mash up two freckled bananas until resembling a chunky texture. I recommend using Libby’s pureed pumpkin as it is stocked in stores year-long. Mix in one cup of the pureed pumpkin with the bananas.

3. Next, you are going to want to add butter, eggs and chocolate chips. Trader Joe’s salted butter and brown eggs is recommended.  Add 1/3 cup of melted butter and two eggs to the banana/pumpkin mixture.

4. Put the Trader Joe’s Banana Bread Mix into a large bowl and add in the wet mixture.

5. Add chocolate chips into the banana bread mixture and pour it into a bread pan that has been buttered on all sides.

6. Put the baking dish full of pumpkin goodness into the oven on the middle or top rack. Bake for 40-45 minutes. Take out your bread and let it cool for several hours or overnight. Slice your creation, enjoy the masterpiece and revel in your baking skills.

This brownie has three layers of goodness: fudge, pumpkin spice latte cheesecake, apple pie crumbles. Unlike the previous recipe, this one is for the college student who is up for a challenge — or desperately wants to impress their GYRAD date.

Three layer brownies: Fudge, mock “pumpkin spice latte” cheesecake, Apple pie crumbles

Fudgy Brownies:

8 tbs butter (melted)

1 /14 cup sugar

3/4 cocoa powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs (room temperature)

1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup chocolate chips/chunks

Mock “PSL” Cheesecake:

1 cup pumpkin puree

1 egg (room temperature)

3/4 cup cream cheese (room temperature)

1 tbs butter (softened)

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp cloves

Bake: 325 °F for 20 minutes

Apple Pie Crumbles:

1 granny smith apple (peeled and diced) browned in butter

1/2 cup flour (add a couple tablespoons more to taste)

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp cloves

3 tbs cold butter (cubed)

Bake: 325 °F for 5 minutes and Broil for 1-2 minute(s)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 °F.

2. Look at the ingredients list for: Fudgy Brownies. Mix all of the dry ingredients in one bowl and mix all of the wet ingredients into a second bowl. After you have completed mixing the wet and dry ingredients in their respective bowls, mix both the mixtures into one bowl. Pour into a buttered baking dish.

3. Mix together everything in the ingredients list for Pumpkin Spice Latte Cheesecake. Once you have completed mixing this together, evenly spread it on top of the fudge brownie bottom in the dish.

4. Bake the first two layers for about 20 minutes on the middle rack.

5. Make the Apple Pie Crumbles while the first two layers are baking in the oven. Peel and finely dice the granny smith apple. Lightly butter a frying pan and sauté the apple pieces until brown. Take off the heat and cool.

6. I recommend sticking the butter into the freezer for several minutes before using to ensure that it is sufficiently chilled. Mix all of the dry ingredients into a bowl. Add the cubed, chilled butter. (I used a pastry cutter for this process, but if you are not equipped with one, a fork will work just fine.) The mixture should begin to form loose chunks.

7. Add in the warm sautéed apples and mix until the crumbles begin to form. At this point, the mixture is warmed through, make sure to stick it in the freezer for several minutes so that it retains its crumbly composure.

8. After the brownie and cheesecake layers are done cooking, take the crumbles out of the freezer and sprinkle on top of the brownie and cheesecake layers. Bake for five minutes and broil for one to two minute(s).

9. Remove from the oven and let it cool until the pan is warm. After your masterpiece is slightly cooled, pop it into the fridge and chill overnight.

BONUS RECIPE: Brew your own Pumpkin Spice Coffee in your dorm! Mix in your desired amount of ground coffee (I use about three tablespoons of ground coffee per eight ounces of hot water) and add one teaspoon of cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon of cloves.