I’m not the biggest fan of pumpkin pie… but that’s a little bit of a lie. I had a slice tonight at my good friend Shannon’s house and I did like it! So, I don’t know why I thought I didn’t like it. I suppose it’s because I’m not a squashy person 😛
I know my family is not a fan of pumpkin, so I thought I’d disguise this year’s dessert with chocolate cake. I thought I was being tricky, but some were not easily fooled. Sigh, my picky family. Regardless, this is still one of my favourite seasonal cakes. About 10 years ago, I found this recipe in Country Living magazine. I’d long since lost that original recipe, but always had a variation of it in my recipe stash. And since I felt the need to produce something festive, I decided to whip up this cake.
Yes, it has a billion ingredients (really only a dozen), but it’s so worth it. The cake is always super soft and flavourful. I do suggest prepping it all so that you don’t forget anything.
The results of your careful prep will yield a cake that is fluffy and perfect…just like all chocolate cakes should be. However, I do believe the added pumpkin puree adds moisture to this cake keeping it nice and soft.
I filled this cake with a caramel buttercream. You could easily do up a cream cheese icing for this cake, but I was going to pour caramel all over this bad boy, so didn’t want it to be any richer than I was about to make it!
Don’t you worry my friends. More on homemade caramel coming this week!
Because the batter made sooooo many mini cupcakes, I split the cupcakes up between friends, co-workers, family and still had way too many left over! I might have considered halving this recipe, but it’s Thanksgiving here in Canada…I show my gratitude by baking for everyone I know. 😉
This recipe made me 3 layers of 5″ round cakes plus 5 dozen minis!!! This cake would make excellent Halloween cupcakes or even a 3D pumpkin shaped cake! What’s your favourite Thanksgiving or Halloween treat?
*This recipe has been adapted from the original found in Country Living Magazine (2007).
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup cocoa powder
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 Tbsp Pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 cup milk (whatever you have on hand)
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 1/4 cup pumpkin purée
- 1 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1½ cup dark brown sugar
- 1½ cup granulated sugar
- 5 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare the cake pans with shortening and dust with flour, line cupcake tins. Preheat oven to 350 degF.
- Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon spice then set aside.
- Mix together the milk, sour cream, and pumpkin puree and set aside.
- In the bowl of the stand mixer, cream together the softened butter and both sugars. Mix on medium speed for about 4 minutes until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and mix until fully combined then add in vanilla. Scrape the bottom of the bowl to make sure it is all evenly mixed.
- Alternately add in the flour mixture in 3 parts and milk/puree mixture in 2 parts, ending with the flour mixture. Start with 1/3 of the flour and mix for 30 seconds. Pour in 1/2 of the milk and puree mixture and mix for 1 minute. Continue pattern until all the ingredients are combined.
- Fill the prepared 5" cake pans and fill the min cupcake tins. Minis will bake for 12 minutes; cakes will bake for approximately 30 minutes depending on how full you filled the pans.
Happy Canadian Thanksgiving, y’all!
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