• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Cheese Curd In Paradise

  • Recipe Index
  • Weekly Meal Plan
  • The Serial Killer Cookbook
  • Contact Me!
  • Work with Me!
  • Legal/Privacy
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipe Index
  • Weekly Meal Plan
  • The Serial Killer Cookbook
  • Contact Me!
  • Work with Me!
  • Legal/Privacy
×
Home » Dessert » Cake » Chocolate Pumpkin Layer Cake

Chocolate Pumpkin Layer Cake

Published: Oct 17, 2018 · Modified: Jul 22, 2019 by Ashley Lecker · This post may contain affiliate links · 1 Comment

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Mix
Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

I am having so much fun with #Choctoberfest! We are so lucky to have such generous sponsors and today I am highlighting our sponsor Imperial Sugar. 

For 175 years, Imperial Sugar has been a trusted name in family kitchens. Imperial Sugar provides high-quality sugar and sweetener products and over 100 years of time-tested recipes. Products include granulated sugar, light and dark brown sugar, free-flowing sugar, powdered sugar, sugar shakers and Steviacane® (Stevia + sugar blend). Imperial Sugar products are 100% pure cane sugar, non-GMO and provide consistently delicious results. For participating in Choctoberfest, I received sugar, measuring cups, and baking mats, but words, recipes, and silliness are all mine. 

I decided that I needed to make a cake for Choctoberfest, but not just any cake. I needed to make a chocolaty pumpkin layer cake. 

A Slice of cake on a white plate with the full cake in the background

I mean, how can you resist that?! I folded semi-sweet chocolate chips into my pumpkin spice cake,baked till it was just right, layered with a light chocolate buttercream, and topped with chocolate chips. This cake is absolutely delicious. Baking with pumpkin can lead to dense cakes, but that is not the case for this cake. The cake is rich, but not dense and it is full of flavor from the pumpkin spice. The buttercream uses semi-sweet chocolate chips (versus cocoa powder), powdered sugar, and a touch of milk. The frosting so light and not too sweet- the perfect topping. 

You know you want a slice of that. 

A Slice of cake on a white plate with the full cake in the background

I know layer cakes can feel intimidating, but do not let that stop you! There are a few important best practices that I can advise.  One, make sure the cake is cool before you frost. In fact, I like to make mine the night before I plan to frost because the cake is much easier to transfer and work with. Two, use buttered parchment in your cake pan because it will save you from clingy cake tops. Third, use a spreading spatula, like this one, to frost, and make sure to do a thin crumb coat before the full icing (this can also double as a scraper to smooth the sides or you could use something like this). This will keep the crumbs out of the surface icing and give you a prettier cake. Also, if something isn't perfect, oh well- I like the look of a little texture to my frosting. The cake tastes great, and you can cover it with a little icing. If anyone complains they don't deserve to eat cake with you anyways, right?! 

Full round cake with chocolate buttercream and topped with chocolate chips

As I said, I am so grateful of the generosity of our sponsors so I can provide you with as many tasty treats as possible! 

Full round cake with chocolate buttercream and topped with chocolate chips

My kids and husband were immediately intrigued when they came home and saw a layer cake on the table. They were very curious as to who was having a birthday and, most importantly, when we were eating, Needless to say that everyone's chocolate sweet tooth was not left disappointed! 

Full round cake with chocolate buttercream and topped with chocolate chips

Many thanks, again, to Imperial Sugar for your support and generosity! Check out Imperial Sugar on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter for more sweet adventures! A Slice of cake on a white plate with the full cake in the background

A Slice of cake on a white plate with the full cake in the background

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Layer Cake

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes mins
Cook Time 35 minutes mins
Cooling Time 25 minutes mins
Total Time 55 minutes mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 10 people

Ingredients
 
 

Cake

  • 8 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
  • 2 cups flour, plus extra for dusting
  • 2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup light brown sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 ½ cups pumpkin puree
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Chocolate Buttercream

  • 12 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
  • 10 oz semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled to room temperature
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 ½ tablespoon milk

Instructions
 

  • Arrange oven rack in the middle of the oven. Heat oven to 350 degrees. 
  • Use a little butter and toweling to grease two 9-inch round cake pans. Line bottoms with parchment paper and place in the pan. Butter the paper and then flour the paper. 
  • In a large bowl, whisk flour, pumpkin pi spice, baking soda, baking powder and salt together. Set aside. 
  • Using an stand or electric mixer, cream 8 tablespoons butter and granulated sugar together until fluffy.  Beat in eggs one at a time. Next, stir in pumpkin purée. Stir in flour mixture about half a cup at a time until smooth. Gently fold in chocolate chips.
  • Divide batter into the cake pans and bake for about 35 minutes, or until a tester inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, run a knife around edges, place upside down onto racks or counter, and peel off paper. Let cakes cool completely.
  • While cakes cool, mix 12 tablespoons butter and confectioners' sugar together with a stand r electric mixer. Mix in chocolate and vanilla extract and beat until smooth. Add milk by the tablespoon, blending well after each addition, until it reaches spreading consistency. If you need to use more milk please add slowly. 
  • Place one cake layer, smooth side up, on a platter. Ice top with a crumb coat. Place second layer, smooth side down, on top; ice top and sides of cake with a crumb coat. Complete icing the cake with the remainder of the frosting. 

Notes

Recipe Adapted from New York Times
Tried this recipe? I'd love to see it! Mention @CheeseCurdInParadise or tag #cheesecurdinparadise on Instagram!

An InLinkz Link-up


« Cheesy Sausage Tortellini
Spooky Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Farrah

    October 18, 2018 at 12:59 pm

    I don't remember the last time I made a cake, but this looks so good! *-*

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Welcome!

Hi, I am Ashley. I am a busy mom and wife working to make family, food, and life an adventure!

Search Cheese Curd In Paradise

Recent Posts

  • Mimosa Muffins
  • Sheet Pan Pancakes
  • Small Batch Carrot Cake
  • Antipasto Eyeballs
  • Mummy Garlic Bread

Copyright © 2025 · Cheese Curd In Paradise

  • Pinterest
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Print