Dessert: Chocolate Brown Sugar Butter Cake with Spiced Pumpkin Frosting

Recipe by Marian Cooper Cairns and Mary Allen Perry Partially frozen cake layers are especially easy to fill and frost. If you overbeat the frosting, thin it to a spreadable consistency by adding 1 to 2 teaspoons hot water.

Ingredients

1 c. butter
1 1/4 c. firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 c. granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa
1/4 c. hot water
2/3 c. chocolate syrup
2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 container sour cream
1/2 c. buttermilk
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Instructions

For the Chocolate Brown Sugar Butter Cake: Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugars, beating well. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.
In a small bowl, stir together unsweetened cocoa and hot water until cocoa is dissolved. Stir in chocolate syrup until blended. Set aside.
Stir together flour and next 3 ingredients in a medium bowl; in a separate bowl stir together sour cream and next 2 ingredients. Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with sour cream mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed until just blended after each addition, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Finally, stir in the cocoa mixture.
Beat egg whites in a large bowl at high speed with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Gently stir one-third of egg whites into batter; fold in remaining egg whites.
Grease (with shortening) and flour 3 (9-inch) round cake pans. Spoon batter into prepared pans. Drop pans lightly on counter to release large air bubbles.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 18 to 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans and cool completely on racks (about 1 hour).
For the Spiced Pumpkin Frosting: Stir together pumpkin puree and cream in a small saucepan; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, 3 to 4 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Remove from heat and stir in white chocolate until melted. Stir in pumpkin pie spice. Chill 2 hours or until thickened and completely cold.
Beat cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until blended. Add pumpkin mixture, beating just until blended. Stir in chopped pecans and walnuts until blended. Spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake. Store cake in refrigerator. Garnish with pecan halves.

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