Pumpkin Chocolate Salted Caramel Cake

Ingredients

• all-purpose flour (For the cake and for flouring the pans)
• baking powder (For the cake)
• baking soda (For the cake)
• salt (For the cake)
• ground cinnamon (For the cake)
• ground ginger (For the cake)
• ground nutmeg (For the cake)
• ground cloves (For the cake)
• light brown sugar (For the cake)
• eggs (For the cake)
• vegetable oil (For the cake)
• pumpkin purée (For the cake)
• milk (Added alternately with the dry ingredients)
• butter (For buttering the baking pans)
• salted caramel sauce (Used in the cream cheese frosting; the author used all 8 ounces, but says the amount is to taste)
• cream cheese (For the salted caramel frosting)
• confectioners’ sugar (For the salted caramel frosting)
• 5 oz heavy cream (For the chocolate ganache)
• dark chocolate (For the chocolate ganache; additional chocolate may be used for shavings, scrolls, or ruffles)
• candied nuts (Optional garnish)
• caramel sauce (Optional garnish drizzle)

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two 9-inch round baking pans; the source specifies that 9-by-3-inch pans were used.

2. 2

   Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Set the dry mixture aside.

3. 3

   Place the light brown sugar and eggs in a mixing bowl and beat on medium speed until fluffy.

4. 4

   Beat the vegetable oil and pumpkin purée into the egg-and-sugar mixture.

5. 5

   Add half of the dry ingredients and half of the milk to the batter, alternating between them, and mix until blended. Repeat with the remaining dry ingredients and milk.

6. 6

   Pour half of the batter into each prepared pan.

7. 7

   Bake for 40–45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The source notes that the cakes took 50 minutes in the author’s oven.

8. 8

   Remove the cakes from the oven and let them cool in their pans for 20 minutes. Invert them onto cooling racks.

9. 9

   While the cakes cool, prepare the salted caramel cream cheese frosting by combining the cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, and salted caramel sauce and whipping until smooth and silky. Keep the frosting soft for assembly; it will firm in the refrigerator.

10. 10

    Prepare the chocolate ganache by heating the heavy cream, pouring it over the chocolate, and stirring until smooth and dark. Let it cool until spreadable but not completely set; it should be thin enough to spread over the cake.

11. 11

    Trim any domed tops from both cooled cakes. Slice each cake horizontally into two layers of similar thickness, producing four cake layers.

12. 12

    Place a base layer on a cake board or on strips of wax paper positioned beneath the edges of the cake. Reserve one of the bottom layers for the top.

13. 13

    Spread one-third of the chocolate ganache over the base cake layer.

14. 14

    Spread about one-half cup, or more, of the salted caramel cream cheese frosting over the ganache.

15. 15

    Gently place a second cake layer on top. Repeat the ganache and frosting layers for the remaining interior cake layers.

16. 16

    For the final cake layer, invert the reserved bottom layer so its cut side faces down and its original base is on top.

17. 17

    Spread a thin layer of cream cheese frosting around the sides as a crumb coat, then frost the entire cake.

18. 18

    Garnish as desired with chocolate shavings, candied nuts, or a drizzle of caramel or chocolate.

Notes

The supplied page excerpt omits most ingredient quantities and the detailed frosting and ganache formulas, so those amounts cannot be reliably reconstructed. The source says the salted caramel sauce amount is to taste and that the author used 8 ounces. Store the covered assembled cake in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. The author cautions that warm conditions can make the frosting and ganache too runny; the ganache should cool and begin to set before spreading, while the frosting should remain soft enough to spread.

Nutrition per serving

• dessert
• cake
• layer cake
• baked
• pumpkin
• autumn
• holiday
• vegetarian