Side Pannel
Midnight Pumpkin Layer Cake
- Prep Time:
- Cooking Time:
- Serves: One 3-layer, 8-inch round cake
Midnight Pumpkin Layer Cake
- Recipe Submitted by Panocha on 10/27/2014
Category: Cakes
Ingredients List
- For the Chocolate Cake Layer:
- 3/4 cup (80 g) all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup (150 g) sugar
- 1/2 cup (60 g) best-quality dark cocoa powder (see Sweetapolita's Notes)
- 1 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) buttermilk, room temperature
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) hot coffee
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) vegetable oil
- 1 egg, room temperature
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- For the Spiced Pumpkin Cake Layers:
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (120 g) packed light brown sugar
- 3 eggs, room temperature
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) vegetable oil (or sunflower oil)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups (300 ml) pumpkin puree (canned)
- 2 cups (260 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 3/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
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- For the Salted Caramel:
- 1 cup (200 g) sugar
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) water
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Generous pinch of sea salt
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- For the Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Filling:
- 1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups (190 g) confectioners' sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 8oz (250 g) package of cream cheese, cut into cubes, very soft
- 3/4 cup (120 g) mini chocolate chips
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- For the Glossy Dark Chocolate Frosting:
- 1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 cups (300 g) sugar
- 1 1/4 cups (150 g) best-quality dark cocoa powder (see Sweetapolita's Notes)
- Generous pinch of salt
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) sour cream (full fat)
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- Edible gold stars, for decorating (see Sweetapoilta's Notes)
Directions
For the Chocolate Cake Layer:
Preheat oven to 350° F.
Into a large bowl, sift flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a medium measuring cup with a spout, combine the buttermilk, coffee, oil, egg, and vanilla.
Add liquid mixture to dry ingredients and whisk until smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan.
Bake on the middle rack until a toothpick or skewer inserted into the center comes out with a few crumbs, about 20 minutes. Try not to over-bake. Let cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then turn onto a wire rack until completely cool.
For the Spiced Pumpkin Cake Layers:
Spray two 8-inch round cake pans with cooking spray and line the bottoms with a parchment paper rounds.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the sugar and eggs together on medium-high speed (I use #6 on KitchenAid) until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the oil and vanilla and beat on medium until combined, about 30 seconds. Add the pumpkin filling and mix until combined, about another 30 seconds.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg, and salt, and with the mixer on the lowest speed, gradually add to pumpkin/egg mixture.
Evenly distribute batter into the prepared pans (weigh them if possible with digital kitchen scale for 560 g per pan), smooth with a small offset palette knife and place in the center of the middle rack of the oven, about 2 inches apart. Bake until a knife or skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes.
Let pans cool on a wire rack 10 minutes. Invert cakes onto rack and cool them completely.
For the Salted Caramel:
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, stir the sugar and water until combined. Brush down the sides of the saucepan with a wet pastry brush and increase the heat to medium-high.
Stop stirring, and let the mixture bubble until it reaches an amber colour, about 8 minutes. Promptly remove the saucepan from the heat and add the heavy cream and butter (be careful, as this will bubble and steam aggressively for a moment). No need to stir.
Clip a candy thermometer onto the saucepan and return the mixture to medium-high heat until it reaches 248°F). Transfer the caramel to the heatproof bowl and stir in the vanilla and sea salt. As the caramel reaches room temperature it will become thick and spreadable. Store in a sealed jar in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
For the Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Filling:
In a bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until very light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Add confectioners' sugar, vanilla, and salt, and beat on low speed until well combined. Increase the speed to medium and beat until very light and fluffy once again, about 6 more minutes. Add the softened cream cheese and beat until combined, about 1 more minute. Stir in the chocolate chips. Keep refrigerated for up to 3 days.
For the Glossy Dark Chocolate Frosting:
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the sugar, cocoa powder, and salt and until everything is combined. The mixture will be very thick and grainy.
Add the heavy whipping cream and sour cream and stir until well combined. Continue to heat the mixture until hot to the touch, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Transfer the frosting to a heatproof bowl and let cool. Cover the frosting and refrigerate until spreadable, about 3 hours.
Assembly of the Midnight Pumpkin Layer Cake:
Prepare the frostings and fillings by ensuring they are all at a spreadable consistency (if your caramel is too thick, you can microwave for about 10 seconds to soften). Put a dollop of chocolate frosting on an 8-inch round cake board (or cake plate) or 10-inch scalloped cake board.
Put one of pumpkin layers top-up on the cake board or plate, and use a a small offset palette knife to spread one-half of the chocolate chip cream cheese filling evenly across layer. Use a clean small offset palette knife to spread one-half of the caramel on top, leaving about 2-inches away from perimeter of cake layer (the caramel will spread a bit more when cake is assembled). Place the chocolate cake layer on top and repeat with another layer of frosting and caramel. Put the final pumpkin cake layer top-down. Cover the cake with plastic wrap and wiggle the layers into place. Refrigerate the cake until stable, at least 30 minutes.
Using a turntable, if possible, frost entire outside of cake with a layer of glossy chocolate frosting to seal in the crumbs. Chill until the frosting begins to firm-up, about 15 minutes. Repeat with another layer of frosting. Holding a tall pastry comb in your dominant hand, press it gently against the side of the cake at a 45° angle, and keep it steady. Use the other hand to slowly rotate the turntable until you have gone all the way around the cake.
Fit a medium pastry bag with a medium-large closed star tip, such as 1M, and fill with the remaining chocolate frosting. Pipe a border around the top of the cake. Sprinkle on gold edible stars, if desired.
Store cake in refrigerator and remove about 2 hours before serving. The cake will keep refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Preheat oven to 350° F.
Into a large bowl, sift flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a medium measuring cup with a spout, combine the buttermilk, coffee, oil, egg, and vanilla.
Add liquid mixture to dry ingredients and whisk until smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan.
Bake on the middle rack until a toothpick or skewer inserted into the center comes out with a few crumbs, about 20 minutes. Try not to over-bake. Let cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then turn onto a wire rack until completely cool.
For the Spiced Pumpkin Cake Layers:
Spray two 8-inch round cake pans with cooking spray and line the bottoms with a parchment paper rounds.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the sugar and eggs together on medium-high speed (I use #6 on KitchenAid) until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the oil and vanilla and beat on medium until combined, about 30 seconds. Add the pumpkin filling and mix until combined, about another 30 seconds.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg, and salt, and with the mixer on the lowest speed, gradually add to pumpkin/egg mixture.
Evenly distribute batter into the prepared pans (weigh them if possible with digital kitchen scale for 560 g per pan), smooth with a small offset palette knife and place in the center of the middle rack of the oven, about 2 inches apart. Bake until a knife or skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes.
Let pans cool on a wire rack 10 minutes. Invert cakes onto rack and cool them completely.
For the Salted Caramel:
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, stir the sugar and water until combined. Brush down the sides of the saucepan with a wet pastry brush and increase the heat to medium-high.
Stop stirring, and let the mixture bubble until it reaches an amber colour, about 8 minutes. Promptly remove the saucepan from the heat and add the heavy cream and butter (be careful, as this will bubble and steam aggressively for a moment). No need to stir.
Clip a candy thermometer onto the saucepan and return the mixture to medium-high heat until it reaches 248°F). Transfer the caramel to the heatproof bowl and stir in the vanilla and sea salt. As the caramel reaches room temperature it will become thick and spreadable. Store in a sealed jar in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
For the Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Filling:
In a bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until very light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Add confectioners' sugar, vanilla, and salt, and beat on low speed until well combined. Increase the speed to medium and beat until very light and fluffy once again, about 6 more minutes. Add the softened cream cheese and beat until combined, about 1 more minute. Stir in the chocolate chips. Keep refrigerated for up to 3 days.
For the Glossy Dark Chocolate Frosting:
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the sugar, cocoa powder, and salt and until everything is combined. The mixture will be very thick and grainy.
Add the heavy whipping cream and sour cream and stir until well combined. Continue to heat the mixture until hot to the touch, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Transfer the frosting to a heatproof bowl and let cool. Cover the frosting and refrigerate until spreadable, about 3 hours.
Assembly of the Midnight Pumpkin Layer Cake:
Prepare the frostings and fillings by ensuring they are all at a spreadable consistency (if your caramel is too thick, you can microwave for about 10 seconds to soften). Put a dollop of chocolate frosting on an 8-inch round cake board (or cake plate) or 10-inch scalloped cake board.
Put one of pumpkin layers top-up on the cake board or plate, and use a a small offset palette knife to spread one-half of the chocolate chip cream cheese filling evenly across layer. Use a clean small offset palette knife to spread one-half of the caramel on top, leaving about 2-inches away from perimeter of cake layer (the caramel will spread a bit more when cake is assembled). Place the chocolate cake layer on top and repeat with another layer of frosting and caramel. Put the final pumpkin cake layer top-down. Cover the cake with plastic wrap and wiggle the layers into place. Refrigerate the cake until stable, at least 30 minutes.
Using a turntable, if possible, frost entire outside of cake with a layer of glossy chocolate frosting to seal in the crumbs. Chill until the frosting begins to firm-up, about 15 minutes. Repeat with another layer of frosting. Holding a tall pastry comb in your dominant hand, press it gently against the side of the cake at a 45° angle, and keep it steady. Use the other hand to slowly rotate the turntable until you have gone all the way around the cake.
Fit a medium pastry bag with a medium-large closed star tip, such as 1M, and fill with the remaining chocolate frosting. Pipe a border around the top of the cake. Sprinkle on gold edible stars, if desired.
Store cake in refrigerator and remove about 2 hours before serving. The cake will keep refrigerated for up to 3 days.
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