This lightly spiced chocolate cake from Yossy Arefi's book Snacking Cakes is packed with pumpkin purée and features spices often found in Mexican chocolate. If you choose to use it, the pinch of cayenne adds a pleasing bit of warmth. You can also top the cake with 2 tablespoons granulated sugar mixed with 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon and another pinch of cayenne instead of the glaze. If you're making a loaf cake, halve the sugar-spice mixture.
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What you’ll need
8" Baking Pan
$25 At Amazon
Parchment Paper
$3 At Amazon
Offset Spatula
$12 At Amazon
Measuring Cups
$28 At Bon Appétit Market
Measuring Spoons
$10 At Bon Appétit Market
Whisk
$10 At Amazon
Large Bowl
$18 At Amazon
Rubber Spatula
$13 At Amazon
Cake Tester
$3 At Amazon
Wire Rack
$23 At BA Market
Recipe information
Yield
Makes one 8x8", 9"-diameter, or 9x5" cake
Ingredients
2
¾
1
½
½
1
1¼
½
2
½
1
1
½
½
1
Preparation
Step 1
Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 350°. Butter or lightly spray an 8x8" baking pan, 9"-diameter cake pan, or 9x5" loaf pan with unsalted butter or nonstick vegetable oil spray. Line pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on all sides if using square pan or long side if using loaf pan. Use a parchment paper round on the bottom if using cake pan.
Step 2
Whisk 2 large eggs and ¾ cup (packed; 150 g) light brown sugar in a large bowl until pale and foamy, about 1 minute.
Step 3
Add 1 cup (230 g) unsweetened pumpkin purée, ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, ½ cup whole milk, 1 tsp. vanilla extract, 1 tsp. ground cinnamon, ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt, and a pinch of cayenne pepper (if using). Whisk vigorously until smooth and emulsified.
Step 4
Add ½ cup (45 g) unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder and whisk until smooth. Add 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour, 1 tsp. baking powder, and ½ tsp. baking soda and whisk again until incorporated. Using a rubber spatula, fold in ½ cup (85 g) bittersweet or semisweet chopped chocolate or chocolate chips.
Step 5
Pour batter into prepared pan; smooth surface with an offset spatula. Tap pan gently on the counter to release any air bubbles.
Step 6
Bake cake until puffed and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 45–55 minutes for square or round cake, 55–65 minutes for loaf cake. Transfer cake to a wire rack and let cool in pan 15 minutes. For square or loaf cake, using parchment overhang, lift cake out of pan and onto rack. For round cake, run offset spatula around edges of cake and turn out. Remove parchment and let cool completely.
Step 7
To make the glaze, whisk 1 cup (110 g) powdered sugar, a pinch of ground cloves, a pinch of kosher salt, remaining 1 Tbsp. unsweetened pumpkin purée, remaining 1 Tbsp. whole milk, remaining ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon, and remaining pinch of cayenne pepper (if using) in a small bowl until smooth. Glaze should be pourable. If it’s too thick, whisk in a few more drops of milk.
Step 8
Pour glaze over cooled cake and let sit 20 minutes to allow glaze to set before slicing.
Step 9
Do ahead: Cake can be made 3 days ahead. Store covered at room temperature.
How would you rate Spiced Chocolate-Pumpkin Cake With Pumpkin Glaze?
Leave a Review
Reviews (53)
Back to TopThis was an easy and tasty cake. There was very little pumpkin flavored it could have used more spice. It is a solid one bowl cake.
Anonymous
VT
12/7/2020
I added more than a pinch of cayenne and a bit of nutmeg too - so delicious!
Anonymous
12/10/2020
This was so easy! And very delicious. Def not too sweet. Next time I’d add a bigger “pinch” of cayenne. Will be making again!
Jenn
New York
12/11/2020
So good! I didn’t get the right consistency for the glaze, but it was delicious. I recommend.
JJB
12/13/2020
Great recipe! I made it in a bundt cake mold and only cooked it 30min. It was just perfect: moist, good balance with the glaze. I used a little more liquid for the glaze to achieve a pourable consistency. Definitely a keeper!
Anonymous
San Francisco
12/23/2020
A truly excellent cake--though I am a sucker for chocolate paired with warm spices. The pumpkin makes this cake extra moist! I couldn't stop cutting off bits to snack on as I walked by. I also made my cake gluten- and dairy-free using Almond Breeze Unsweetened Original Almond Milk and King Arthur Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour. Textures and flavors are spot-on! Definitely will make it again, and probably soon!
Anonymous
Franklin, TN
1/16/2021
Well written recipe. Love the weight measurements in the instructions. Beautifully chocolatey. I used butternut squash instead of pumpkin, but the flavour was overpowered by the chocolate. Might need more pumpkin. While I got away with a pinch of cayenne in the batter, a little goes a long way in the glaze. I used a 9" cake tin and got a fairly short cake. More like a brownie. Still tasty though!
Anonymous
Nairobi, KE
3/8/2021