Chocolate Harvest Cake
Originally a recipe from Better Homes and Gardens, this Chocolate Harvest Cake features moist chocolate cake layered with a creamy pumpkin cream cheese filling and topped with rich chocolate ganache. It's a beautiful fall dessert that's perfect for Thanksgiving, Halloween and holiday entertaining.
Servings: 14 servings
Ingredients
CAKE:
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup water
- ⅔ cup canola or vegetable oil
- 2 cups granulated white sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
PUMPKIN CREAM FILLING:
- One 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
- ⅓ cup unsweetened pumpkin puree
- ¼ cup granulated white sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
GLAZE:
- ½ cup whipping cream
- 4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
GARNISH:
- seedless red grapes, whole blackberries or raspberries, toasted hazelnuts, shredded orange peel (as desired)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans; set aside.
PREPARE THE CAKE:
- In a large bowl combine the buttermilk, water, oil, sugar, eggs, baking soda, and salt. Whisk until well combined. Add the flour and cocoa powder; whisk vigorously until smooth. Divide the batter between the prepared pans.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the top springs back when lightly touched in the center. Cool in pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely.
PREPARE THE FILLING:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the cream cheese, pumpkin, sugar, and cinnamon until thickened. Place one cake layer on plate. Spread the filling over the top. Top with the second cake layer.
MAKE THE GLAZE:
- In a saucepan bring the whipping cream just to boiling over medium-high heat. Remove from heat. Add the chocolate (do not stir). Let stand 5 minutes. Then stir until smooth. Cool 15 minutes or until slightly thickened. Pour over the top of the cake, allowing the glaze to drip down the sides. Chill until set, about 30 minutes. Top with desired toppers.
Notes
NOTES:
- Use 100% pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Mixing a little cocoa powder with the flour for dusting the cake pans helps prevent white residue on the finished cake.
- Let the cake cool completely before adding the pumpkin filling.
- Chill the assembled cake for at least 30 minutes before slicing.
- For the smoothest ganache, use good-quality semisweet chocolate.
- This cake can be made a day in advance and refrigerated until ready to serve.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 450kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 250mg | Potassium: 210mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 37g | Vitamin A: 1326IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 2mg