Chocolate Pumpkin Layer Cake Food

CHOCOLATE-PUMPKIN LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Use a little butter to grease two 9-inch round cake pans. Line bottoms with parchment paper. Butter and flour the paper. In a large bowl, whisk flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, baking soda, baking powder and salt together.
• Using an electric mixer, cream 8 tablespoons butter and the granulated sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time. Stir in pumpkin purée. Mixture may look slightly curdled. Stir in flour mixture about half a cup at a time until smooth. Fold in chocolate chips and pecans.
• Divide batter into pans and bake in middle of oven until springy to the touch and a tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, run a knife around edges, invert onto racks and peel off paper. Let cakes cool completely.
• In a large bowl, blend remaining 12 tablespoons butter and confectioners' sugar together. Blend in chocolate and vanilla extract and beat until smooth. If the frosting is too thick, add cream or milk by the tablespoon, blending well after each addition, until it reaches spreading consistency.
• Place one cake layer, smooth side up, on a platter. Ice top. Place second layer, smooth side down, on top; ice top and sides of cake.

PUMPKIN-CHOCOLATE LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
• Whisk flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and allspice together in a small bowl for the cake.
• Combine sugar, oil, and applesauce in a large bowl with an electric mixer on low speed. Add pumpkin and vanilla extract. Beat in eggs on medium speed, 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add flour mixture gradually until combined; finish mixing with a rubber spatula.
• Pour batter into the prepared cake pans. Sprinkle chopped semisweet chocolate over the top of each. Swirl chocolate into the batter using a metal spatula.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in pans for 5 minutes. Loosen the sides, invert, remove parchment paper, and let cool on wire racks, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract for the filling in a mixing bowl. Beat using an electric mixer, increasing speed, until creamy. Remove 2/3 of the mixture and set aside. Add cocoa to remaining mixture; beat until creamy.
• Beat heavy cream in another bowl on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold 2/3 of the whipped cream into the white cream cheese mixture. Fold remaining 1/3 of whipped cream into the chocolate cream cheese mixture.
• Cut each cooled cake layer in half horizontally. Spread 1/2 of the white cream cheese mixture onto 1 layer of cake, to about 1/4-inch from the edge. Sprinkle 1/3 chopped semisweet chocolate over filling, gently pressing down with fingers. Add next layer; spread with chocolate cream cheese mixture and sprinkle with 1/3 of chopped semisweet chocolate; press down. Add third cake layer, spread with remaining white cream cheese. Sprinkle with remaining chocolate, pressing gently. Top with last layer.
• Place bittersweet chocolate in the top of a double boiler over simmering water. Stir frequently, scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to avoid scorching, until chocolate is melted, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, add in powdered sugar and butter. Whisk until smooth. Pour over the top of the cake. Spread glaze evenly across the top and on the sides.

CHOCOLATE-PUMPKIN CREPE CAKE

Steps:

• Make the crepes: Combine the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, pie spice, salt, milk, melted butter, eggs and vanilla in a blender. Blend, scraping down the sides occasionally, until smooth. Transfer the batter to a bowl; cover and let sit 1 hour.
• Make the filling: Whisk the sugar, eggs, cornstarch, pie spice, vanilla and salt in a medium bowl. Combine the milk and pumpkin in a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking, until steaming. Gradually whisk in the egg mixture and bring to a boil, whisking constantly, until very thick. Strain the filling through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl, pushing it through with a rubber spatula. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface and refrigerate 2 hours.
• Beat the heavy cream in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Working in three batches, fold the whipped cream into the filling until combined. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.
• Make the crepes: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Heat an 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot; lightly brush with melted butter. Add about 3 tablespoons batter and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Cook until the crepe is dry on the bottom and set on top, 2 to 3 minutes. Carefully flip and cook 30 more seconds. Invert onto the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining batter to make about 20 crepes, brushing the pan with more butter and stacking the crepes as you go. (Don't worry if a few tear; they can be layered in the center of the cake.)
• Assemble the cake: Lay a crepe on a plate or cake stand and spread with 2 to 3 tablespoons of the pumpkin filling, spreading it to the edges. Top with another crepe and repeat with another layer of the pumpkin filling. Layer the remaining crepes and filling, ending with a crepe. Refrigerate the cake at least 6 hours or overnight.
• Make the ganache: Put the chocolate in a small bowl. Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until steaming, then pour over the chocolate. Let sit 5 minutes, then whisk until melted and smooth. (If the chocolate is not fully melted, microwave in 15-second intervals.) Let sit until thickened but still pourable, about 5 minutes. Pour the ganache over the crepe cake, letting the excess drip down the side, then gently smooth the top with a small offset spatula. Let the chocolate set, about 15 minutes. Run a sharp knife under hot water to slice.
• For clean slices, run a sharp knife under hot water and wipe dry before cutting.

GANACHE-TOPPED PUMPKIN LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. Line bottoms of 2 greased 8-in. round baking pans with parchment; grease paper., In a large bowl, beat eggs on high speed 3 minutes. Gradually add sugar, beating until thick and lemon-colored. Beat in pumpkin. In another bowl, whisk flour, pie spice, baking powder and salt; fold into egg mixture. Transfer to prepared pans, spreading evenly., Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 15-20 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack; remove paper. Cool completely. , For filling, in a large bowl, beat cream until stiff peaks form. In another large bowl, beat cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until blended; fold in whipped cream. Spread between cake layers. Refrigerate at least 1 hour., Place chocolate in a small bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream just to a boil. Pour over chocolate; let stand 5 minutes. Stir with a whisk until smooth; cool slightly. Press plastic wrap onto surface of ganache; cool to room temperature. Spread over cake. Refrigerate until serving.

CHOCOLATE PUMPKIN CAKE WITH ORANGE CREAM-CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F; lightly butter three 8-inch cake pans and fit each bottom with an 8-inch circle of parchment paper. Lightly butter the parchment paper. Set aside.
• Make the batter: Sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl and set aside.
• Beat butter and sugar together in a large bowl with an electric mixer set on medium speed until fluffy.
• Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, until the mixture is smooth and light.
• Alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture, blending well after each addition.
• Divide the batter among the pans and bake until a wooden skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean - about 35 minutes. Cool the cakes in the pan for 20 minutes. Remove cakes and cool. (For cupcakes: Heat oven to 375°F; place cupcake liners in standard cupcake tins and fill each with 1/4 cup of batter. Bake for 22 minutes).
• When cakes are cool, trim each of the layers. Place one layer on a cake plate and top with one third of the frosting. Repeat with the second and third layers. (To ensure that cake layers do not shift, cut three skewers to 1/4 inch shorter than the full height of the cake and insert them before icing the top layer). Refrigerate until ready to serve.
• To prepare frosting: Blend the cream cheese, butter, orange juice, orange zest, and vanilla in a large bowl, using an electric mixer set at medium speed, until smooth. Add the sugar and continue to beat until light and creamy - about 3 more minutes. Add the food coloring and gently stir until the color is uniform. Chill the frosting until ready to ice the cupcakes or cake.

PUMPKIN AND CHOCOLATE LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F Line two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper and lightly grease the bottom and sides of both.
• Set up two large mixing bowls so that the batter for both cakes can be prepared at the same time.
• For the pumpkin cake:.
• In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugars, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt.
• In a large measuring cup, or a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, vegetable oil, melted butter, pumpkin puree, milk and vanilla extract until all ingredients are well combined.
• Pour pumpkin mixture into dry ingredients and stir until no streaks of flour remain visible. Pour into a prepared pan.
• For the chocolate cake:.
• In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugars, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt. Sift in cocoa powder and whisk to combine.
• In a large measuring cup, or a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, vegetable oil, melted butter, pumpkin puree, milk and vanilla extract until all ingredients are well combined. Whisk in melted chocolate.
• Pour pumpkin mixture into dry ingredients and stir until no streaks of flour remain visible. Pour into a prepared pan.
• Bake the cakes for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the cake springs back when lightly pressed. The baking time is the same for one cake as it is for two cakes in the oven at the same time.
• Turn cakes out of their pan and onto wire racks to cool completely before frosting.
• For the Maple Cream Cheese Frosting.
• Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and beat at high speed until smooth, gradually adding the confectioners' sugar until a thick and spreadable consistency is reached. Additional confectioners sugar may need to be added to thicken frosting, especially if humidity is high in your area.
• To assemble the cake, slice both the pumpkin cake and the chocolate cake in half horizontally. Place a chocolate round on a cake stand or serving platter, spread with a thin layer of cream cheese icing, and place a pumpkin layer on top. Make sure to spread the frosting all the way to the edges of the cake rounds. Spread the pumpkin layer with frosting and repeat with remaining chocolate and pumpkin layers.
• Use remaining frosting to cover the top and sides of the cake.