I came home from vacation ready to bake, but there were piles of laundry and personal matters to attend to, thus experimenting in the kitchen was not an option. Since I was pressed for time, I turned to my cooking magazines for inspiration. I found it in the November issue of Eating Well. It’s called Chocolate Pumpkin Bundt Cake.
I had most of the ingredients to make the cake, but had to make it twice because I accidentally left out the sugar the first time. But that’s what happens when you try to bake a cake while on the phone with your mother. Maybe I can blame it on the fact the ingredient order is kind of strange. Granulated sugar is mixed in with the flour and the brown sugar is mixed in with the pumpkin. That threw me off, but it all worked out in the end.
Fuzz and her buddywere crazy about this cake. In fact, both girls loved the pumpkin chocolate combo.
Since I thought the cake was perfect, I’ll link you directly to the original Chocolate-Pumpkin Bundt Cake Recipe and give you a few notes.
—If using a black Bundt pan, you may want to reduce the baking temperature to 325 and bake for a little longer
—Flour-added cooking spray works fine
—Use a generous ¼ cup of oil
–For the cocoa powder, I used Scharffen Berger “natural” which may have been why this cake was so good.
—And for the flour, I fluffed it up before measuring then used the spoon and sweep method.
It’s an easy cake, so give it a try. The fact that it’s from Eating Well, has less fat and some nutritional value from the pumpkin is just a bonus.
Chocolate Pumpkin Bundt Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup nonfat buttermilk
- 15 ounce can unsweetened pumpkin puree
- 3/4 cup dark brown sugar packed
- 1 large large egg at room temperature
- 1 large egg white at room temperature
- 1/4 cup canola oil
Glaze
- 1/4 cup light corn syrup
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup packed confectioners’ sugar
- 2 tablespoon mini chocolate chips or toasted chopped nuts (see Tip)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 12-cup Bundt pan with flour-added cooking spray or grease very well and dust with flour.
- Whisk together both flours, granulated sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice and salt in a medium bowl.
- Beat 1 cup buttermilk, pumpkin puree and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on low speed. Beat in whole egg and egg white. Stir in oil, corn syrup and vanilla. Gradually add the dry ingredients, stirring until just combined. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan.
- Bake the cake until a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove from the pan and let cool completely on the rack, about 2 hours.
Glaze
- Combine confectioners' sugar and 1 tablespoon buttermilk in a small bowl, stirring until completely smooth. Place the cake on a serving plate and drizzle the glaze over the top; garnish with chocolate chips (or chopped nuts) while the glaze is still moist.
Lisa
Hi Anna,
I’m a long time lurker on your blog – I always love to see what you are trying, and I have a corgi, too, so I love the photos of Lizzie.
I noticed your pile of food magazines and didn’t see a copy of Fine Cooking. Do you get the mag? I’d love to send you a free copy, if you’re interested. As an editor there, I am a bit biased, but I think our recipes are top notch and would love for you to try them.
katherine
This cake is delish! I used white whole wheat for the ww pastry flour and honey instead of corn syrup and it turned out fine in my opinion. Mine was done in about 50 mins. I will for sure make this again for the Holidays. Thanks Anna.
Louise
Gloria — the origin of “to boot” — “Boot” here is an archaic noun meaning “advantage,” and in the idiom has been broadened to include anything additional, good or bad. [c. a.d. 1000]. More detail is available at http://users.tinyonline.co.uk/gswithenbank/sayingst.htm
Angelica Macklin
I made this cake this evening and it was a huge hit with everyone from my hubby to my kindergartner and toddler. Yum! I loved how the pumpkin flavor wasn’t overpowering yet it added something special to this chocolate bundt. The cake’s texture was phenomenal Definitely a keeper. Thank you for sharing 🙂
Gloria
I didn’t even think about banana, but what a good idea! Still, pumpkin will be tried first…maybe my taste buds have changed and I’ll like cinnamon and chocolate…I pretty much like anything and chocolate..
HeartofGlass
Anna, I’m so impressed–home barely a day, and already baking! That cake looks fantastic, and although I’ve seen that magazine on newsstands, I never really gave it a second glance–its entire website is fantastic!
lisaiscooking
This looks fantastic! I’m going to have to try this. Chocolate and pumpkin sounds great.
Katrina
Did someone say Banana?! 😉
Anna
Karen, definitely try it! This is my new favorite dessert from Eating Well.
Gloria, I’m so happy to hear this site doesn’t make you squint. LOL. It’s not perfect, but I’m learning as I go. I’m not sure if anyone noticed, but I justified the text early last week so the posting area is not so “bouncy” looking.
About the pumpkin pie spice, I wouldn’t take it out. To me, that’s what makes the cake special. But I know you love to play with recipes so maybe you could experiment with banana? I was thinking banana would be a good substitute for the pumpkin, but I think banana is sweeter and probably a little bit moister than pumpkin, so 15 oz of mashed banana might not be the same as 15 oz of mashed pumpkin. But I still think banana would be a good substitute if you could get the proportions right. Or you could just make Nicole’s marbled banana chocolate bundt cake. http://bakingbites.com/2007/09/marbled-banana-bundt-cake/
gloria
That cake looks delicious and has fiber and vitamin A to boot (why does “to boot” mean the same as ” as well”?) I wonder if I left the spices out if it would still be ok. I’m not a fan of cinnamon and chocolate.
On another unrelated note, I have to say that for me your site is one of the easiest to read and navigate. It is light and bright and the font doesn’t make me squint!!!
Karen
Looks great, I am the queen of pumpkin-chocolate desserts, so definitely I’ll be trying this one.
Anna
Here’s a link to the comments and ratings on Eating Well. I noticed a few people used honey in place of corn syrup.
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/glazed_chocolate_pumpkin_bundt_cake.html?section=comments#tabs
Marcia
I CAN NOT wait to try this!!
Amanda
That looks fabulous, I love bundt cakes cuz they go so easy on frosting, and sometimes don’t need it at all!
I played around with a chocolate pumpkin cake that I found last year and completely metamorphasized it (I know I spelled that wrong LOL) into something completely different. You should have seen me trying to come up with a name for it LOL I ended up with Amanda’s 4 Layer Chocolate Dappled Pumpkin Cake
ooooooohhhhh yummy 🙂
Julie
Yummy! I expected it to look orange, but of course the choc takes over! That’s a possibility for thanksgiving.
Louise
I’m adding this recipe to my Holiday baking file. I just love the November and December issues of food magazines. Still waiting for my last Gourmet. 🙁 I’ve had a Chocolate Beet Bundt Cake recipe on my “to do” list for a while. http://www.fourtwoseven.com/chocolate-beet-cake , but I think since making Baked Brownies yesterday, Baked’s Root Beer Bundt Cake will move up the list.
sherri
Looks wonderful!
Michelle
Looks delicious. I made chocolate pumpkin cupcakes this month for cupcake hero and we devoured them. Such a tasty combination of flavors.
snooky doodle
this looks gorgeous. i ve never tried chocolate pumpkin combo. must be awesome , have to try it 🙂
Katrina
Yum. Mary at Food Librarian would be proud that you joined in her month of a bundt a day until Nov. 15–National Bundt Cake Day (and my birthday!) Check out her blog daily for some great big bundts! 😉
This one sounds good and healthy with the pumpkin benefits. haha. I’ve been saving my S.B. Cocoa for just the right things. Same with the bars. Anymore suggestions?