Chocolate Pumpkin Layer Cake

Cake
And the cooking begins.  Although everyone is bringing something and we will be laden in desserts (after all isn't it all about over eating?), I felt compelled to make this cake.  I tore out the recipe last week from the  NYTimes and it sounded a bit different and delicious. 

2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter ( soft )
2 cups flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. allspice
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (plus another 1/2 for tossing on top)
2 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
10 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled to room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Heat oven to 350. . Grease 2 – 9" cake pans.  Line the bottoms with parchment paper and lightly flour.  It is worth it. 

In a large bowl whisk the flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, baking soda, baking powder and salt together.

Beat one stick of butter with the sugar until light and fluffy.  3 minutes or so.  Beat in one egg at a time.  Beat in the pumpkin puree.  Beat in the flour mixture about half a cup at a time.  Fold in the chocolate chips.  The recipe called for stirring in the pumpkin puree and flour mixture but I just gave it a beat or two to make my life easier and it seemed to work.

Divide the batter into the pans and bake for about 40 minutes.  Cool the cake for 10 minutes, take them out of the pans and then let cool completely.

With an electric mixer, beat the rest of the unsalted butter and then when it is really whipped, add the confectioners sugar.  Then add the vanilla and the chocolate.  I found the frosting to be really thick and dense.  You could always toss in a bit more vanilla to make it smoother or even cream but I went with the thick.

Place one cake down, cut it so the cake has a flat plane otherwise, it it hard to put on the second layer.  Spread with the frosting.  I used my fingers a bit to move the frosting around so I didn't break the cake.  Thick frosting.  Put on the second layer and complete.  Toss some chocolate chips on top for decor.

I know the cake is delicious because I had the piece which I cut off to even out the cake.  Must make room for tomorrow!

Comments (Archived):

  1. marshal sandler

    Please remit 2 small slice-s thanks