September 24, 2014

Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake Cake

posted by Lindsay
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This Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake Cake is a perfect mix of moist chocolate cake and smooth and creamy pumpkin cheesecake. The combination of flavors and textures is delicious – even better than I expected! I think chocolate and pumpkin is my new favorite flavor combo.

Pumpkin Chocolate Cheesecake Cake
Pumpkin Chocolate Cheesecake Cake

So after our trip, it has been good to be back in the gym the last couple of days. I hadn’t worked out for almost a week, and I have absolutely no control when on vacay, so it has been much needed.

The only problem is that I’m a bit sore. Not from the gym, but from the trip. My niece was really into doing handstands while were there and it reminded me not only of my younger self, but of my cheerleading days. I cheered competitively for 8 years and it had me missing it.

So I made the brilliant decision to get up and do handstands with her. Which then turned into cartwheeling into a handstand. I hadn’t done those in like, a long time. It was actually a lot of fun and I could’ve kept on doing it. But surely I should have stretched or something first. My 29 year old body has clearly decided to punish me. That was Thursday, and my hamstring in my one leg is still sore. My shoulders are finally getting better. #ImNot10Anymore #ThisIs29Almost30 #Dangit #WhatHappenedToMyBody

Pumpkin Chocolate Cheesecake Cake
Pumpkin Chocolate Cheesecake Cake

Oh well! Cake makes it all better. And this cake in particular. Oh. Em. Gee. There are so man things about it to love.

First of all, it uses my favorite chocolate cake. It’s the moistest, most delicious chocolate cake ever. Moist for daaaaaays.

And the pumpkin cheesecake rocks. It tastes awesome and baking it is a breeze because it doesn’t need a water bath. Normally, I’d advise to use one because it makes a bigs a difference in the way a cheesecake bakes. This cheesecake is the one exception that I know of. And because it’s getting stacked into a cake, you don’t even have to make a crust. #winning

Pumpkin Chocolate Cheesecake Cake
Pumpkin Chocolate Cheesecake Cake

And then the pumpkin icing. It doesn’t get any better than this icing. So pumpkin-y but still thick and perfect for icing a cake. It’s so good I’m trying to think up a mother recipe to use it in so that I can make it again. Mmmmm…

If you’ve made some of my ice cream cakes or millionaire cakes, then it must be said that stacking this cake is even easier than those. Because the cake and cheesecake layers are nice and solid, you stack them just like any other cake. No need to stack them in a springform pan or anything like that. Just stack then with the ganache between the layers to help hold them together. Easy peasy.

Seriously, while the directions look like they might be tough at first glance, this cake really isn’t hard to make. There’s just more steps involved. Just trust me – it’s worth it. When you combine the delicious chocolate cake with the creamy pumpkin cheesecake and then add the pumpkin icing? Whoa. Just whoa. So good.

Pumpkin Chocolate Cheesecake Cake
Pumpkin Chocolate Cheesecake Cake

You might also like:

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Layer Cake
Pumpkin Cheesecake with Cream Cheese Whipped Cream
Pumpkin Cookies with Cinnamon Glaze
Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
Butterscotch Pumpkin Cake

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Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake Cake

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★★★★

4 from 1 reviews

  • Yield: 12-14 Slices 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

CHOCOLATE CAKE 

  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 3/4 cup Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa powder
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup boiling water

PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE

  • 3 8-ounce packages of cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3 tbsp flour
  • 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 cup canned pumpkin
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

PUMPKIN ICING

  • 3/4 cup butter
  • 3/4 cup shortening
  • 6 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/4 + 1/8 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • Hot fudge sauce, if desired (the one I used)

CHOCOLATE GANACHE

  • 4 oz chocolate chips
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream

Instructions

TO MAKE THE CHOCOLATE CAKES:

1. Prepare two 9 inch cake pans with parchment paper circles in the bottom, and grease the sides.
2. Add all dry ingredients to a large bowl and whisk together.
3. Add eggs, buttermilk and vegetable oil to the dry ingredients and mix well.
4. Add vanilla to boiling water and add to mixture. Mix well.
5. Pour into cakes pans and bake at 300 degrees for about 38-40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs.
6. Remove cakes from oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes, then remove to cooling racks to cool completely.

TO MAKE THE PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line the entire inside of a 9 inch cake pan with aluminum foil. Press it into the pan to get it as flat as you can. You’ll use the aluminum foil to lift the cheesecake out of the pan when it’s baked and cooled.
2. In a large bowl, blend the cream cheese, sugar, flour and pumpkin pie spice with an electric mixer (Use low speed to keep less air from getting into the batter, which can cause cracks).
3. Add the pumpkin, eggs and vanilla extract. Beat until well combined.
4. Pour the filling into the pan. Drop onto the counter a few times to release any air bubbles.
5. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Turn off heat and leave in oven with door closed for 15 minutes. Crack door and allow to cool another 15 minutes
6. Remove from oven and chill until completely cool.

TO MAKE THE PUMPKIN ICING:

1. Beat together butter and shortening until smooth.
2. Slowly add 4 cups of powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
3. Add pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice and mix until smooth.
4. Add remaining 2 cups of powdered sugar and mix until smooth.

TO ASSEMBLE THE CAKE:

1. First make the chocolate ganache. Place chocolate chips in a metal bowl.
2. Microwave the heavy cream until it starts to boil. Remove from microwave and pour over chocolate chips.
3. Cover bowl with saran wrap for 5-7 minutes.
4. Whisk chocolate and cream until smooth.
5. Remove domes from the tops of the two chocolate cakes.
6. Place first chocolate cake layer on a cake plate or stand. Spread half of chocolate ganache onto cake.
7. Remove the cheesecake from the pan and carefully peel off the aluminum foil. Place cheesecake on the first chocolate cake layer. It may be a bit bigger than your cake, depending on your cake pans. Use a large serrated knife to trim edges, if desired.
8. Spread remaining chocolate ganache on top of cheesecake.
9. Place second layer of chocolate cake on top of cheesecake.
10. Ice cake with pumpkin icing.
11. Drizzle edges of cake with hot fudge and add sprinkles, if desired.

Enjoy!

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