Pumpkin chocolate cake is the perfect fall treat. RIGHT?!
We spent the past weekend trying to do Fall things. We went to 2 fall festivals that were both mildly underwhelming. It is also that weird time of year where in the shade it is nice, cool and brisk but in the sun your still sweating from your whole body. It makes picking an outfit very difficult. There were still no pumpkins in sight, so we decided to make a pumpkin cake because gosh darnit, IT’S NOT TOO EARLY.
When we said it was spooky pumpkin season we weren’t kidding. It is 100% spooky freakin’ pumpkin season. Heavy on the pumpkin. Is 2 pumpkin recipes in a row annoying? SORRY. We just can’t help ourselves. We made this cake and posted it a while back. Ya know, before cupcake-gate happened. We lost it but definitely wanted to bring it back because it is a crowd favorite.
Instead of just making it the same ole way we always do, we decided to fancy it up. Not only is it 324923 layers now, but it also has a very unhealthy amount of caramel sauce on it. What? Homemade caramel? Instead of chocolate ganache??? Who are you? We know. We are trying new things here, people! If you don’t want or need a 5 layer cake tower, you could swap out the 6 in pans for some 8 inch for a much more manageable dessert.
This cake is layers of pumpkin cake, chocolate cake, and brown sugar buttercream. Then of course, the caramel goo. Probably shouldn’t refer to to it as goo…but it’s gooey. And sticky. DEAR God, it is so sticky. If you aren’t ready to tackle homemade caramel trust us, we feel you. You can leave it off. The cake is still rich and decadent without it. However, this caramel recipe is pretty easy so we have faith that you can do it!
Lindsay here with some other non-baking related news! This cute fluffy angel monster had his 1- year adoptoaversary (is this a word? Is it spelled right?) on Monday! This is my dog Louie and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t love him more than anything in the world. He was a complete foster fail and my life has not been the same since! How do people live without dogs..? I mean I guess I know what it’s like since I too lived without a dog once I moved away from home. But, now after having Louie for a year I just can’t imagine life without him. Yes, he has his days where he literally is a monster and he dances on my patience like he’s on Dancing With the Stars trying to win the mirror ball trophy but, for all the midnight bathroom breaks, and zoomie episodes where he REFUSES to come inside, there are a million doggie kisses, and fluff ball snuggles. Moral of the story is…dogs are important.
If you are ever wondering what is to the left of all our photos that you can’t see (because who doesn’t stay up late and night wondering about this?!)…this is it. A fluff monster perched on the side of the couch waiting for the okay that never comes to lick all the sweets.
Happy almost weekend!
Eat cake and adopt dogs!
Pumpkin Chocolate Cake with Brown Sugar Buttercream
Ingredients
Chocolate cake
- 1 3/4 cups flour
- 3/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1 cup brewed coffee
Pumpkin Cake
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
Buttercream
- 3 sticks unsalted butter softened
- 5 cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 TBS vanilla extract
- 3-4 TBS milk
Caramel Sauce
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 6 TBS salted butter room temperature
Instructions
- preheat oven to 350 F and line 5 six inch cake pans with parchment paper
chocolate cake
- In the bowl of a stand mixer beat the oil and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add in eggs and extracts and mix until combined. Scrape down sides of bowl.
- In a separate bowl mix together flour, baking soda and baking powder and cocoa powder. Turn the mixer to low and alternate between adding the milk and the bowl of dry ingredients.
- Mix until everything is combined. Slowly add in the coffee.
- Divide the batter between the 3 pans and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Pumpkin cake
- Beat together sugar, oil and eggs until combined
- Slowly add in flour, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon
- Stir in the pumpkin
- Divide between 2 six inch cake pans and bake for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean
Buttercream
- beat butter until light and fluffy in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment
- Slowly add in the powdered sugar and brown sugar
- Add in the vanilla extract. Add in milk until desired consistency is reached
Caramel Sauce
- In a saucepan over medium high heat, whisk the sugar until completely melted. It will get clumpy but then melt into a liquid.
- Once melted let the caramel cook until a nice amber color is reached. Only a couple of minutes.
- Take off the heat and whisk in the butter until completely melted.
- Slowly pour in and whisk the heavy cream
- Let cool before transferring to a heatproof container. It will thicken as it cools.
Assembly
- Level your cakes so they are flat. Start with a pumpkin layer on the bottom and top with a layer of the brown sugar buttercream, top with a chocolate layer and repeat until all layers are used. You can frost the whole cake or leave it naked like we did.
- Drizzle with the caramel sauce and enjoy!
Emily says
This looks incredible! I can’t wait to make it!
Question: you write 2 pans for chocolate and 3 for pumpkin but the picture shows the opposite. Which is the truth?
[email protected] says
Ooops! Sorry about that! It is 3 pans for chocolate and 2 for pumpkin. We will make sure to fix that!
Nici says
If using 8 in pans how many is it? 2 chocolate and 1 pumpkin?
[email protected] says
Yes! 2 chocolate and 1 pumpkin 🙂