Chocolate Pumpkin Cake
Chocolate pumpkin cake is perfect for any Halloween celebration! Two layers of chocolate pumpkin cake frosted with pumpkin spice buttercream and finished with a rich chocolate glaze. Yield: makes two 8-inch cake layers and 12 cupcakes
Servings: 24
Ingredients
Cake:
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (325 g)
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (80 g)
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon instant espresso powder optional
- ½ cup buttermilk
- ¼ cup sour cream (58 g)
- 1-15 oz can pumpkin puree
- 2 teaspoons vanilla paste or pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup + 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter (254 g), softened, room temp
- 1 ½ cup light brown sugar (300 g), packed
- 1 ½ cup granulated sugar (300 g)
- 5 large eggs, room temp
Pumpkin Spice Frosting:
- 6 large egg whites
- 1 ½ cup granulated sugar (300 g)
- 2 cups unsalted butter (454 g)
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice mix
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste
- 5 drops of orange gel paste coloring
Chocolate Glaze:
- 4 oz dark chocolate, chopped
- 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
- 3 Tablespoons light corn syrup
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
Instructions
Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper and grease lightly. Line 12 muffins tins.
- Sift together dry ingredients: flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and espresso powder. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together buttermilk, sour cream, pumpkin puree and vanilla. Set aside.
- Using a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugars with a paddle attachment. Add eggs one at a time, making sure to scrape down bowl between eggs.
- In three additions, alternate adding dry mixture and wet mixture to butter. Scrape down bowl occasionally to make sure all ingredients are fully incorporated.
- Fill muffins tins 2/3 full with batter. Divide remaining batter between the 2-8in round pans. Bake cupcakes for 20-25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Bake cake rounds for 30-35 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cake rest for a couple minutes in pan before unmolding and allowing to cool completely.
Frosting:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together egg whites and sugar. Place bowl over a pot of simmering water to create a double boiler. Make sure water does not touch the bottom of the bowl. Whisk sugar egg mixture until it reaches a temperature of 160° F. *Alternatively, if you don't have a thermometer, heat until all the sugar has melted. You can test this by dipping your pointer finger into the warm mixture and rubbing it against your thumb. The mixture should be smooth. You should not be able to feel the granules of sugar.
- Return bowl to the stand mixer. With a whisk attachment, beat mixture at medium speed until it cools to room temperature. Reduce speed to low and add butter one tablespoon at a time. Once all the butter has been incorporated, add salt, spice mix, and vanilla. Increase speed to medium-high and continue to beat until buttercream is light and fluffy.
Glaze:
- Place chocolate, butter, and corn syrup in a medium bowl.
- Bring heavy cream to a boil and pour over chocolate. Let sit for 1 minute. Using a rubber spatula, gently stir until smooth. Stir in small circles in the same spot and gradually increase size of circle. Let glaze sit for 5 minutes until it slightly thickens.
- Pour glaze over the chilled frosted cake and allow glaze drop over the sides. Let chill in the fridge for 15-30 minutes to set up before serving.