Chocolate Pumpkin Marble Cake

I’ve always liked the combination of chocolate and pumpkin, so when I came across this recipe it just called to me.  I love the look of a marble cake, too, but I did forget that it’s kind of a pain in the butt because you’re basically making two different cakes and then mixing them together.  With that said, it was good.  Really good.  So, I’d definitely make it again.  Oh, and the cream cheese glaze just put it over the top.

INGREDIENTS

CAKE

• 1 1/4 cups pumpkin puree
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened
• 5 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 3/4 cups cake flour, divided
• 3 tsp pumpkin pie spice (I just used 2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp cloves, 1/4 tsp ginger)
• 1 tsp baking powder, divided
• 1/2 tsp baking soda, divided
• 1 tsp salt, divided
• 3/4 cup Dutch-processed unsweetened cocoa
• 1 1/3 cup low-fat buttermilk, divided

GLAZE

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 4 oz. (1/2 cup) cream cheese, room temp
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 3-4 tbsp milk (or more if you want a thinner glaze)

HOW TO MAKE IT

• Preheat oven to 350°F degrees and spray a 10 inch tube pan or 12 cup bundt pan with nonstick spray
• Spread pumpkin puree over two layers of paper towels and press two more layers on top – let sit for 10 minutes (this it to remove excess moisture)
• Cream the butter with an electric mixer until it’s light
• Add both sugars while the mixer is on and mix on medium for about 5 minutes
• Add eggs, one at time, mixing well after each – then add in vanilla
• Transfer half of the mixture into another large bowl (another mixer bowl would be good, but you can use any large bowl) – set aside

Now you’ll make 1/2 pumpkin and 1/2 chocolate…

Pumpkin

• Scrape the pumpkin off of the paper towel and add it to the first bowl – mix well
• In a smaller bowl combine 1 3/4 cup flour, pumpkin pie spice, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/4 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt
• Add half of the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and mix well
• Mix in 1/3 cup buttermilk
• Then add the remaining flour and mix until combined – set aside

• In the smaller bowl combine 1 cup flour, 3/4 cup cocoa, 1/2 tsp. baking soda, 1/4 tsp. baking powder and 1/2 tsp. salt.
• Add half of the flour/cocoa mixture to the other large bowl and mix well with a whisk or your mixer
• Mix in 1 cup of buttermilk – then add the remaining flour and mix until combined

• Spoon 1/3 of the pumpkin batter into your prepared pan
• Drop heaping spoonfuls of the chocolate batter around the pan (not completely covering all the pumpkin)
• Spoon in the remaining pumpkin and chocolate batters
• Gently swirl a knife around the pan several times
• Bake for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs (be sure to check both the pumpkin and chocolate parts)
• Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and cool for another 10 minutes on a rack
• While that cools, make the glaze

• Mix powdered sugar and cream cheese until well blended
• Beat in vanilla and milk, 1 tbsp at time
• Drizzle on the warm cake – let cake cool completely

Source: Back to the Cutting Board, adapted from My Recipes