Pumpkin chocolate pecan spice cake....WOW!!!
I have been really bad about blogging in the last few weeks---I've just been SO busy and I have several things to share with you!! But, today I want to share my most recent creation: Pumpkin chocolate pecan spice cake!! I saw a recipe in the most recent Food Network magazine and knew immediately that I had to convert it to GF!! Also, I changed it quite a bit because I can NEVER just make a recipe the way it's written :) I use recipes as inspiration and a jumping-off point and then, I just go crazy and invent something fabulous!
I was dying to make it from the minute I saw the recipe, but knew that I needed the proper venue or else my husband, Kevin, and I would have to eat the entire cake and that just wouldn't do! So, today was our squadron Thanksgiving luncheon and I knew that was the place to serve it! And it just turned out SO amazingly that I had to share it with y'all :) (that's how we talk down here in the south ).
Pumpkin chocolate pecan spice cake recipe:
For the cake:
2 cups Bob's Red Mill GF baking flour mix
1/2 cup coconut flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
2 tsp. xanthan gum
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
4 eggs
1 1/4 cups safflower oil
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
Preheat the oven to 350. Spray 2 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl; set aside. In a mixing bowl, combine the sugar, pumpkin, and vanilla and beat about 1 minute, until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until each one is incorporated. With the mixer running, add the oil in a steady stream and then, add the applesauce. Slowly add the flour mixture and beat just until blended. Divide the batter between the 2 prepared pans. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 35 minutes or until center tests done with a toothpick. Cool in pans for about 15 minutes and then, remove from pans and let cool completely.
For the filling:
1 cup sugar
1 pint heavy cream
1/4 cup dark corn syrup
2 T. butter
10 ounces semisweet chocolate
1 T. vanilla
1/8 tsp. salt
2 1/4 cups chopped pecans, toasted
After the cake has cooled completely, prepare the filling. in a large deep saucepan place the sugar and 3/4 cup water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook, without stirring, until deep amber color, about 8 minutes. Carefully whisk in the cream until smooth. Add the corn syrup and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and coats the back of a spoon, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in the chocolate, butter, vanilla, and salt until completely smooth. Add the toasted pecans and put in the refrigerator. Cool in the fridge for about 1 hour until firm, but spreadable.
For the frosting:
6 ounces semisweet chocolate
1 T. cocoa powder
1 stick butter
2 T. maple syrup
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
Place all ingredients into a medium-sized microwaveable bowl and place in microwave for 1 minute. Remove from microwave and stir until completely melted. Set aside during assembly of cake.
To assemble cake:
Cut each layer in half using a long, serrated knife. Place 1 layer on the bottom of a large platter; Divide filling into 3 parts and spread 1/3 over layer on platter. Repeat with other layers, ending with cake on top. Pour frosting over top of cake and let it run down the sides. For garnish: decorate top of cake with pecan halves.
After garnishing, place in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to set frosting. This cake is SO rich that you can easily cut 12 pieces from it!!
This cake turned out so moist and spicy and rich and gooey and just plain wonderful that it would be worth getting sick to eat the entire thing!! I didn't come home with even a morsel, so I'm sure glad that I cut myself a sliver before the luncheon began!! I knew there'd be no other desserts that I could eat, so I wanted to make sure I got some.
This could be a marvelous new Thanksgiving tradition for your GF table!! It does take quite a bit of time, so plan accordingly and start a day ahead. I baked the cake part yesterday so I could just focus on the filling and frosting today. It is SOOOOOO worth the effort :) Happy pumpkining, my friends!!
Pumpkin chocolate pecan spice cake recipe:
For the cake:
2 cups Bob's Red Mill GF baking flour mix
1/2 cup coconut flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
2 tsp. xanthan gum
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
4 eggs
1 1/4 cups safflower oil
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
Preheat the oven to 350. Spray 2 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl; set aside. In a mixing bowl, combine the sugar, pumpkin, and vanilla and beat about 1 minute, until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until each one is incorporated. With the mixer running, add the oil in a steady stream and then, add the applesauce. Slowly add the flour mixture and beat just until blended. Divide the batter between the 2 prepared pans. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 35 minutes or until center tests done with a toothpick. Cool in pans for about 15 minutes and then, remove from pans and let cool completely.
For the filling:
1 cup sugar
1 pint heavy cream
1/4 cup dark corn syrup
2 T. butter
10 ounces semisweet chocolate
1 T. vanilla
1/8 tsp. salt
2 1/4 cups chopped pecans, toasted
After the cake has cooled completely, prepare the filling. in a large deep saucepan place the sugar and 3/4 cup water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook, without stirring, until deep amber color, about 8 minutes. Carefully whisk in the cream until smooth. Add the corn syrup and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and coats the back of a spoon, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in the chocolate, butter, vanilla, and salt until completely smooth. Add the toasted pecans and put in the refrigerator. Cool in the fridge for about 1 hour until firm, but spreadable.
For the frosting:
6 ounces semisweet chocolate
1 T. cocoa powder
1 stick butter
2 T. maple syrup
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
Place all ingredients into a medium-sized microwaveable bowl and place in microwave for 1 minute. Remove from microwave and stir until completely melted. Set aside during assembly of cake.
To assemble cake:
Cut each layer in half using a long, serrated knife. Place 1 layer on the bottom of a large platter; Divide filling into 3 parts and spread 1/3 over layer on platter. Repeat with other layers, ending with cake on top. Pour frosting over top of cake and let it run down the sides. For garnish: decorate top of cake with pecan halves.
After garnishing, place in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to set frosting. This cake is SO rich that you can easily cut 12 pieces from it!!
This cake turned out so moist and spicy and rich and gooey and just plain wonderful that it would be worth getting sick to eat the entire thing!! I didn't come home with even a morsel, so I'm sure glad that I cut myself a sliver before the luncheon began!! I knew there'd be no other desserts that I could eat, so I wanted to make sure I got some.
This could be a marvelous new Thanksgiving tradition for your GF table!! It does take quite a bit of time, so plan accordingly and start a day ahead. I baked the cake part yesterday so I could just focus on the filling and frosting today. It is SOOOOOO worth the effort :) Happy pumpkining, my friends!!
Wow that looks amazing!!!
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