Chocolate Pumpkin Layer Cake

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. 

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. 

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?! 

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! 

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! 

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! 

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Layer Cake

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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

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

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!