Chocolate Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 mins
- Yield: 12 slices 1x
Description
Canned pumpkin gives this rich chocolate cake a fudgy texture and keeps the whole thing moist.
Ingredients
for the cake
- 1 1/2 cup (360 ml) flour
- 2/3 cup (160 ml) cocoa
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) buttermilk
- 1 cup (240 ml) canned pumpkin
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) butter, softened
- 1 cup (240 ml) dark brown sugar
- 1 cup (240 ml) granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 egg yolk
for the frosting
- 8 oz (225 g) cream cheese, room temperature
- 8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, room temperature
- 1 cup (240 ml) confectioners' sugar
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Instructions
for the cake
- Line the bottoms of two 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper and lightly butter.
- Sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Stir the buttermilk, pumpkin, and vanilla extract together in a small bowl. Beat the butter and sugars together using an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and yolk, one at a time. Reduce mixer speed to low and alternately beat in the flour and buttermilk mixtures in thirds.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake until a tester, inserted in the center, comes out clean–about 35 minutes. Cool layers completely before icing.
for the frosting
- beat the cream cheese by hand or in an electric mixer until soft, then add the other ingredients and beat until completely smooth.
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 35 mins
- Category: Cake
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 420
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does the canned pumpkin actually do for this chocolate cake?
The 1 cup of canned pumpkin replaces a significant portion of the fat you would normally get from extra butter or oil, which gives the cake a dense, fudgy texture and keeps it moist. It also adds subtle earthy sweetness that plays well against the cocoa.
Why does the recipe use both buttermilk and pumpkin?
The 1/2 cup of buttermilk and the 1 cup of canned pumpkin are stirred together and added to the batter alternately with the flour mixture. The buttermilk’s acidity activates the baking soda and tenderizes the crumb, while the pumpkin provides moisture — together they create the cake’s characteristic soft, fudgy texture.
How do I know when the cake layers are done baking?
The recipe says to bake at the temperature indicated until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean — about 35 minutes. Cool the layers completely before applying the cream cheese frosting, otherwise the frosting will melt. 
