This is the BEST cake to serve at this time of year (or any other time of the year, actually)!  It’s a good chocolate cake – a very, very good chocolate cake; it’s moist, and nicely chocolate-y, and made richer with some pumpkin puree added.  The cake doesn’t taste of pumpkin, it just tastes well-rounded and delicious and the frosting tastes like Fall! There is a touch of cinnamon in the frosting, then the ganache topping is smoothed over the top and dripped down the sides which sends this cake into the realm of ‘One of the Best Cakes EVER’! My daughter, Abby, has been making this cake since she was in high school.  Her friends would ask for it for their birthdays (even for Summer birthdays)!

It goes without saying that this cake takes a bit of time to make and decorate, but if you are thinking of making this cake then you are thinking of making it for a special occasion, right?  The time and effort are worth it and there’s nothing complex or confusing about making this cake, it’s pretty straightforward. And you won’t be serving up a box mix and a can of chemicals to your friends and family, either 🙂

Now, your cake is going to look a bit different than the one above, since this cake was decorated for my witch themed Halloween party. Abby used candy, cupcake toppers, and Pinterest inspiration [to decorate the cake in the picture below] for my Halloween party last year.  Isn’t it cute?

The original recipe came from a Good Housekeeping magazine about, oh, 20 years ago?  I still see pictures from that recipe dancing around.  Don’t believe them!  For some reason in the picture the frosting under the ganache is orange.  I tried to do that and there is no way that I know of to turn a cocoa powder frosting bright orange.  I tried. Many times. It. Can’t.Be.Done. Sigh…

Not all recipes in magazines, cookbooks, newspapers and the Internet will work.  Mine will.  I only post recipes that I’ve tested and have been verified “Delicious!” by a multitude of family members and friends.  Many of my treasured recipes, like this Pumpkin-Chocolate Cake, I have made time and time again. You can do it, too! Make it once for Halloween, and I KNOW you’ll want to make it again for your Thanksgiving potlucks!

PUMPKIN-CHOCOLATE CAKE

For Cake

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Line the bottoms of 2 9-inch cake pans with parchment paper and lightly butter (or spray with Pam for Baking).
• Sift flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt together.
• In another bowl stir together the pumpkin, buttermilk, and vanilla.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer beat together the butter and the sugars until light and fluffy.
• Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, and then the egg yolk.
• Reduce speed to low and beat in 1/3 flour mixture, and then 1/3 pumpkin mixture.
• Repeat until all ingredients are used.
• Pour batter into prepared pans.
• Bake until cake passes the toothpick test, about 35 minutes.
• Cool, frost and glaze as directed below.

For Frosting

• Beat cream cheese and butter together until well blended.
• Stir in powdered sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and enough cream to make a stiff spreading consistency.
• Spread 1 cup frosting between the two layers, and use the remaining frosting for the tops and sides.
• Chill cake for a minimum of 30 minutes before glazing.

For Chocolate Glaze

• Place chopped chocolate, butter, and corn syrup in a small bowl.
• Heat heavy cream until boiling.
• Pour hot cream over chocolate mixture in bowl.
• Let sit for 3 minutes then blend with whisk until smooth.
• Let glaze sit for  FOR AT LEAST 5 minutes to thicken slightly (it might be 15-20 minutes–better the glaze be on the thick side rather than the thin side)
• Pour the glaze on top of the chilled and frosted cake. Smooth out glaze to edges, and then let drip down the sides.
• Refrigerate to set glaze.