Name: Chocolate Pumpkin Cake and Cupcakes
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 18
Ingredients: 2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour; 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour; 1 c. good-quality cocoa; 2 tbsp. good-quality cocoa; 1 tbsp. baking powder; 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda; 2 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon; 3/4 tsp. fresh-grated nutmeg; 3/4 c. buttermilk; 1 1/2 c. pumpkin purée; 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract; stick unsalted butter; 1 1/2 c. dark brown sugar; 1 1/2 c. granulated sugar; 5 large eggs; Orange Cream-Cheese Frosting

Step 1Prepare cake pans: Heat oven to 350 degrees 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.

Step 2Make the batter: Sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl and set aside. Combine the buttermilk, pumpkin, and vanilla in a medium bowl and set aside. Beat the butter and sugar together in a large bowl, with an electric mixer set on medium speed, until fluffy. Add the 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.

Step 3Bake the cake: 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 degrees F. Place cupcake liners in standard cupcake tins and fill each with 1/4 cup of batter. Bake for 22 minutes.)

Step 4Assemble the cake: 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 the 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.

Step 5Make our Orange Cream-Cheese Frosting.

Chocolate Pumpkin Cake and Cupcakes

Ingredients

Directions

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