Pumpkin Chocolate Layer Cake

Fall has my favorite flavors. Pumpkin chocolate chip is at the top of that list but not everyone in my family agrees. My husband likes the idea but hates the 'crunch' of the chocolate chips in pumpkin things. So to compromise I found this idea. I get the chocolate pumpkin combination I love and he doesn't have to 'crunch' on chocolate chips;)

There are 2 soft, fluffy, chocolate cake layers, with 2 moist, muffin like pumpkin cake layers in between sweet, creamy, buttercream and topped with a rich chocolate ganache. Its a festive fall dessert that is a show stopper! 

Pumpkin Chocolate Layered Cake

Pumpkin Layers

2 cups All-Purpose Flour

2/3 cup Granulated Sugar

1/4 cup Brown Sugar, packed

1 teaspoon Baking Powder

1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1 teaspoon Cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg

3/4 cup Butter, room temp

4 Eggs

2/3 cup Pumpkin Puree

6 Tablespoons Sour Cream

2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract

Chocolate Layers

1 box Devil's Food Cake

1 small box Chocolate Pudding

1 cup Sour Cream

1 cup Vegetable Oil

4 Eggs

1/2 cup Milk

1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

Vanilla Buttercream

2 cups Butter, room temp

1- 8oz pkg Cream Cheese, room temp

12 cups Powdered Sugar

1/2 cup Heavy Cream

1 Tablespoon Pure Vanilla Extract

Chocolate Ganache

1/4 cup Heavy Cream

2 oz Semisweet Chocolate, chopped

2 Tablespoons Dark Corn Syrup

1/2 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

Pumpkin Layers

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour or spray with non-stick spray, 2- 8 inch cake pans. 

2. Whisk together the flour, sugars, baking powder and baking soda, salt, and the spices in a large bowl. Add in the butter and mix on low until combined. Add in the eggs and scrape the bowl. Then add in the pumpkin, sour cream, and vanilla and mix on medium-low for about a minute.

3. Divide evenly between the cake pans and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool completely.

Chocolate Layers

1. Turn the oven temperature up to 350 degrees. In a large bowl combine all of the ingredients and divide between the 2 prepared cake pans. Bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes off with a few moist crumbs. Let cool completely.

Vanilla Buttercream

In a large bowl cream together the butter and cream cheese until light and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add in the vanilla and mix. Then gradually add in the powdered sugar and mix on low until well combined. Pour in the heavy cream and beat until light and fluffy.

Chocolate Ganache

In a heatproof bowl, put the cream, chocolate, and corn syrup. Microwave in 20 second intervals stirring until the chocolate is smooth. Add in the vanilla and stir.

Assembly

Level the cake tops. Pipe the frosting in between the cake layers and on the top of the cake. Top with the ganache and let it drip over the sides of the cake. Enjoy!

Recipe Adapted from Baking a Moment

Chocolate Whoopie Pie Cake

Do I have a cake for you! It's a super moist chocolate cake with a sweet vanilla marshmallow creme filling. Its perfect for any occasion! I'm sharing this recipe over at Reality Daydream so go get the recipe and indulge a little:)

Hostess Cupcake Clone & Secret Recipe Club

First things first, I have added a couple new features to my blog... You can now hover over a picture with your mouse and a flag will appear so you can 'Pin It' to Pintrest! This is one of my favorite features on some of my favorite blogs so I am really excited to have it!!

I have also started a Cupcakes with Sprinkles Pintrest Page and a picture of EVERY recipe on my blog is over there. So you can see what delicious things you want to pin more easily!

Lastly, on the left side bar you are able to enjoy by email every time something new is posted. So lots of new things over here! Now onto some sweet stuff!

For the Secret Recipe Club this month I got Camilla from Culinary Adventures. She has done so many exciting things in her life! And now she is sharing all the great food she makes! She has recipes for a bunch of things that I never would've thought to try! Its a great place to go find something new and delicious! 

The recipe I chose was Hostess Cupcakes. I have had these on my 'to make' list for a while so I was really excited she had a recipe on her blog! The cupcake was soft and moist, the filling was sweet and fluffy, and the chocolate frosting was dark and rich. Enjoy and go check out her blog!!

Hostess Cupcakes
Recipe Source: Culinary-Adventures-with-Cam.blogspot.com
Also Adapted From: TheNoviceChefBlog.com

Cupcakes
1 1/3 cup All-Purpose Flour
1/2 cup Dutch Process Cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon Baking Powder
3/4 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 Egg
1 cup Granulated Sugar
1/4 cup Vegetable Oil
1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
1 cup Milk

Filling
4 Tablespoons Butter, room temp
1 cup Powdered Sugar
2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
1 Tablespoon Milk
1 cup Marshmallow Creme

Chocolate Ganache

2 Tablespoons Butter
1 Tablespoon Milk
2 teaspoons Corn Syrup
2 oz Semi-Sweet Chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup Powdered Sugar, sifted

Icing

1/4 cup Butter
1 cup Powdered Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extrac
1 Tablespoon Milk
 

Cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners. 

2. Whisk flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in medium bowl and set aside. In a large bowl whisk egg, sugar, oil and vanilla. Then add flour mixture, alternating with milk, untilthe batter is smooth.

3. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full with batter. Bake 18-20 minutes. 

Filling

In a medium bowl, beat together all ingredients. When the cupcakes are cool, cut a cone out of the middle of each cupcake. Put filling into a piping bag and pipe cupcakes with marshmallow mixture and replace the tops.

Chocolate Ganache

1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add the milk, corn syrup and chocolate. Stir slowly until the chocolate is melted. 

2. Once its melted, remove from heat and whisk in the powdered sugar. Immediately dip the top of each cupcake into the icing and transfer to a wire rack.

Icing

Using a mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Beat in the powdered sugar. Add the vanilla and milk and mix until smooth. Transfer to a pastry bag with a small piping tip. Pipe a swirl decoration on the cupcakes. 

Boston Cream Pie

Yellow cake, homemade vanilla pudding, and a rich chocolate glaze. I always wanted to make a boston cream pie but figured it would be a lot of work but it wasn't, I made it easier by using a boxed yellow cake mix. Your next family party, this is the dessert to make!

Boston Cream Pie

Recipe Source: BrownEyedBaker.com

Yellow Cake Mix and ingredients to make it

Pastry Cream
2 cups Half-and-Half

1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
Pinch of salt
5 Egg Yolks
3 Tablespoons Cornstarch
4 Tablespoons Cold Unsalted Butter, cut into pieces
1 1/2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract

Glaze
1 cup Heavy Cream

1/4 cup Light Corn Syrup
8oz Semisweet Baking Chocolate, chopped in small pieces
1/2 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

Pastry Cream

1. Heat the half-and-half, 6 tablespoons of sugar, and the salt in a medium heavy saucepan over medium heat until simmering, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves.

2. Whisk the egg yolks in a medium bowl until combined. Whisk in 2 tablespoons of sugar and whisk until the sugar starts to dissolve and the mixture is creamy. Whisk in the cornstarch until combined and the mixture is pale yellow and thick.

3. When the half-and-half mixture reaches a full simmer, gradually whisk the simmering half-and-half into the yolk mixture to temper. Return the mixture to the saucepan, scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula. Return to a simmer over medium heat, whisk constantly, until a few bubbles burst on the surface and the mixture is thick and glossy, about 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter and vanilla. Strain the through a fine-mesh sieve set over a medium bowl. Press plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming and refrigerate until cold and set, about 3 hours or up to 2 days.

Cake
Grease and flour 2 - 9" round cake pans. Make cake according to package directions. Remove from pans and let cool completely on a cooling rack.

Glaze

1. Bring the cream and corn syrup to a full simmer over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate. Cover and let stand for about 8 minutes. Add the vanilla and stir very gently until the mixture is smooth. Cool until tepid so that a spoonful drizzled back into the pan mounds slightly. 

Assembly

1. While the glaze is cooling, place one cake layer on a serving plate. Carefully spoon the pastry cream onto the cake and spread it evenly up to the edges. Place the second cake layer on top, lining up cakes.

2. Pour the glaze onto the middle of the top layer and let it flow down the cake sides. Use a metal spatula, if necessary, to completely coat the cake. Let the cake sit until the glaze fully sets, about 1 hour. Best if served within a few hours of making.

I shared this at
Sweets for a Saturday

Chocolate Mousse Crunch Cake

Are you ready for your new favorite chocolate cake? This has everything. Chocolate cake, chocolate mousse, chocolate ganache, and Scor bars. Seriously, you'll need vanilla ice cream to go with it. Its rich and delicious!

Chocolate Mousse Crunch Cake

Recipe Source: OurBestBites.com

1 recipe The Best Chocolate Cake

1 recipe Chocolate Ganache, recipe follows

Chopped Scor bars, about 4 bars

1 teaspoon Unflavored Gelatin

1 Tablespoon Cold Water

2 Tablespoon Boiling Water (just heat it in a small bowl in your microwave)

1/2 cup Granulated Sugar

1/4 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

1 cup Whipping Cream

1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

1. Bake cake according to instructions in 2-8 inch round pans. Allow to cool and set aside.

2. In a small bowl, combine gelatin and cold water and allow to stand about 1 minute. While gelatin is softening, bring 2 Tablespoons water to a boil in the microwave. Whisk into the softened gelatin and allow to cool a little.

3. In a medium mixing bowl, combine sugar, cocoa powder, whipping cream, and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer until medium-stiff peaks form. Mix in gelatin mixture and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Prepare ganache.

Ganache
8 oz Semi-Sweet Chocolate
8 oz Heavy Cream

Combine chocolate and heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat for 2 minutes and stir. Heat for an additional 1-2 minutes or until chocolate is fully melted and can be whisked into the cream. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure all the chocolate is melted.

Assemble the Cake

With a serrated knife level the cake. Place one layer on the serving plate and spread 1/2 of the chocolate mousse over the cake. Sprinkle with Scor bits. Place second layer of cake on top of Scor bits.

Pour ganache over the top, allowing it to drip down the sides. Sprinkle with additional Scor bits and refrigerate until ready to serve.