Carla Hall's Pumpkin Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

  • For the Pumpkin Cake:
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups pumpkin puree
  • For the Mascarpone Filling:
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon pumpkin spice
  • 2 cups mascarpone
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree (strained of excess liquid)
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • For the Dark Chocolate Ganache:
  • 3 tablespoons corn syrup
  • 6 ounces heavy cream
  • 12 ounces dark chocolate (chopped into small bits)
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ginger snaps (crushed for garnish)

Procedure

  • Grease and flour two 9-inch round layer cake pans.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Combine sugar, vegetable oil, and eggs in a large mixing bowl and mix well. Whisk dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Stir the dry into the wet ingredients until just combined. Fold in the pumpkin puree.
  • Divide batter between the two cake pans.
  • Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Rotate pans half way through cooking. When a toothpick comes out clean, the cakes are done. Let cool for 5 minutes and then turn cakes out onto cooling racks.
  • While the cakes are cooking make the filling.
  • Beat the mascarpone and the pumpkin puree until blended, and then add the pumpkin spice, salt and powdered sugar. Mix at a high speed until blended, about 1 minute. Once it's fully combined add the vanilla and beat for another 30 seconds.
  • Once the cakes have cooled completely, cut through each cake horizontally with a serrated knife (there will now be four round of cake to work with).
  • Spread the filling evenly between the layers (3).
      • Once assembled, transfer cake to a cake stand with parchment paper lined around the edges (to keep the cake stand clean).
      • Make the ganache in a small saucepan. Combine the corn syrup and heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Add the chocolate. Stir until smooth. Remove from the heat and add the vanilla extract.
      • Pour over the cake.
      • Garnish with crushed ginger snaps.Once the ganache is set, remove the parchment.

Special Notes

Recipe from Carla Hall at The Chew