Pumpkin-Chocolate Layer Cake

by

Description

This cake was born after I adapted Sue Case’s Pumpkin Cake III from this site. I made a lot of changes to come up with this creation, which received raving reviews in this house. I was pretty excited, this won a contest over at Mixing Bowl last year. I’ll be making it for Thanksgiving every year!

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa
  • 3 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
  • 2 cups white sugar
  • ¾ cup canola oil
  • ½ cup applesauce
  • 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 ounce semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
  • 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
  • ½ cup sifted confectioners’ sugar
  • 2 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 2 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
  • 5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
  • 5 tablespoons powdered sugar
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
  2. Whisk flour
  3. cocoa
  4. baking powder
  5. baking soda
  6. cinnamon
  7. salt
  8. and allspice together in a small bowl for the cake.
  9. Combine sugar
  10. oil
  11. and applesauce in a large bowl with an electric mixer on low speed. Add pumpkin and vanilla extract. Beat in eggs on medium speed
  12. 1 at a time
  13. mixing well after each addition. Add flour mixture gradually until combined; finish mixing with a rubber spatula.
  14. Pour batter into the prepared cake pans. Sprinkle chopped semisweet chocolate over the top of each. Swirl chocolate into the batter using a metal spatula.
  15. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean
  16. 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in pans for 5 minutes. Loosen the sides
  17. invert
  18. remove parchment paper
  19. and let cool on wire racks
  20. about 30 minutes.
  21. Meanwhile
  22. combine cream cheese
  23. powdered sugar
  24. and vanilla extract for the filling in a mixing bowl. Beat using an electric mixer
  25. increasing speed
  26. until creamy. Remove 2/3 of the mixture and set aside. Add cocoa to remaining mixture; beat until creamy.
  27. Beat heavy cream in another bowl on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold 2/3 of the whipped cream into the white cream cheese mixture. Fold remaining 1/3 of whipped cream into the chocolate cream cheese mixture.
  28. Cut each cooled cake layer in half horizontally. Spread 1/2 of the white cream cheese mixture onto 1 layer of cake
  29. to about 1/4-inch from the edge. Sprinkle 1/3 chopped semisweet chocolate over filling
  30. gently pressing down with fingers. Add next layer; spread with chocolate cream cheese mixture and sprinkle with 1/3 of chopped semisweet chocolate; press down. Add third cake layer
  31. spread with remaining white cream cheese. Sprinkle with remaining chocolate
  32. pressing gently. Top with last layer.
  33. Place bittersweet chocolate in the top of a double boiler over simmering water. Stir frequently
  34. scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to avoid scorching
  35. until chocolate is melted
  36. about 5 minutes. Remove from heat
  37. add in powdered sugar and butter. Whisk until smooth. Pour over the top of the cake. Spread glaze evenly across the top and on the sides.

Prep Time: 45 mins

Cook Time: 30 mins

Total Time: 1 hr 50 mins

Servings: 12

Leave a Comment