Dessert: Spiced Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting and Chocolate Leaves

You'll need two dozen lemon leaves or camellia leaves to make the chocolate decoration. If you don't have unsprayed leaves from your own or a friend's garden, get them from a florist.

This recipe includes fertility superfoods such as:

Lemon

Health and fertility benefits of Spiced Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting and Chocolate Leaves

Lemons can help to prevent oxidative damage to the body, which women with PCOS are often susceptible to.

Ingredients

6 ounces imported milk chocolate (such as Lindt), finely chopped, plus one 1-inch piece of milk chocolate
24 fresh lemon or camellia leaves, wiped clean with moist paper towels, patted dry
6 ounces good-quality white chocolate (such as Lindt or Baker's), finely chopped, plus one 1-inch piece of white chocolate
6 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped, plus one 1-inch piece of bittersweet chocolate

Instructions

Line small baking sheet (or large plate) with foil. Add enough hot water (125 °F. to 130 °F.) to 9-inch-diameter cake pan to measure depth of 1 inch. Place 6 ounces finely chopped milk chocolate in 3- to 4-cup glass bowl; place bowl in hot water. Let stand just until outer edges of chocolate melt. Stir until chocolate is partially melted (some soft pieces will remain). Transfer bowl to work surface and stir until chocolate is melted and smooth and instant-read thermometer registers no higher than 88 °F. (barely lukewarm). If melted chocolate is warmer than 88 °F., add 1-inch piece of milk chocolate and stir until temperature falls below 88 °F. Remove any remaining piece of chocolate.
Hold 1 leaf with heavily veined side up. Using pastry brush, carefully coat upper surface completely with chocolate. Using fingertips, wipe away any chocolate overflow from edges of leaf. Place leaf, chocolate side up, on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with 7 more leaves. Refrigerate coated leaves until chocolate is cold and set, about 10 minutes.
Carefully peel lemon leaves off chocolate leaves; return chocolate leaves to baking sheet and refrigerate.
Line another small baking sheet (or large plate) with foil. Melt 6 ounces white chocolate and make 8 white chocolate leaves, following technique and temperature guidelines for milk chocolate leaves.
Line another small baking sheet (or large plate) with foil. Melt 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate and make 8 bittersweet chocolate leaves, following technique for milk chocolate leaves. (Chocolate leaves can be prepared 2 days ahead. Keep refrigerated.)

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