Two layers of chocolate cake, two layers of pumpkin spice cake, and lots of chocolate buttercream. . .If you love the combination of chocolate, pumpkin, and warming spices then you’ll go crazy for this chocolate pumpkin cake!
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It’s my first pumpkin post of 2018!!!! Cue a billion exclamation points!!!!!!
Even though there’s no cheesecake involved in this chocolate pumpkin cake, I couldn’t be more excited. (Note to self: find a way to make this into a cheesecake cake for next year.)
How is your September going? Are you ready for pumpkin or not so much? It’s still in the 100s here so I’m not really feeling fall yet but I’m doing my best to hurry Mother Nature along; I really want to wear boots without sweating my face off.
And if anything could convince her to bring us some colder weather I think it’s this chocolate pumpkin cake! Two layers of plain pumpkin spice cake, two layers of pumpkin chocolate cake, and a whole lotta chocolate buttercream.
If you love warming spices and the flavors of fall (and chocolate!) then you’re gonna love this one!
Why you’ll love this chocolate pumpkin cake:
- You don’t need a stand mixer to make it!
- The chocolate layer is really just pumpkin cake batter with cocoa powder added—you don’t have to make two different cakes
- The cake is flavored with cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg so every bite tastes like fall
How to make chocolate pumpkin cake
Start by combining your wet ingredients in a large mixing bowl, then beat with an electric mixer until very smooth.
Fold the dry ingredients (EXCEPT COCOA POWDER!) in with a rubber spatula until incorporated. Pour half of the cake batter into an 8-inch round cake pan.
Sift the cocoa powder over the remaining cake batter and add 3 tablespoons of whole milk. Fold the cocoa powder and milk into the batter, then pour the batter into a second 8-inch round pan.
Baker’s tip: Cocoa powder tends to clump together and leave little pockets of bitterness if it isn’t mixed into the batter well. Because you’ve already added the flour, you want to mix the batter as little as possible so your cake remains light and fluffy. Therefore, be sure you sift the cocoa powder into the batter as specified in the recipe! This will prevent clumps in your cake.
Bake for about 35 minutes, then cool your cake layers before frosting them.
How to make chocolate buttercream
This chocolate buttercream is really easy to make, and it’s so chocolate-y and delicious!
Start by beating your room temperature butter until it’s very creamy. Some frosting recipes call for cold butter but I never think it mixes as well as room temp butter; leave your butter on the counter for about 30 minutes and you should be fine.
Add cocoa powder, powdered sugar, milk, and salt and beat until very smooth. I don’t find it necessary to sift frosting ingredients because I’m going to beat the heck out of it anyway, but if your cocoa powder or powdered sugar is especially lumpy you can sift it before you add it to the butter. And that’s it! You’re ready to assemble your cake!
How to assemble your cake
The first thing you have to do to assemble your chocolate pumpkin cake is split the layers horizontally.
You need a long serrated knife for this and I realize as I’m writing that I didn’t get pictures of how I do this but here’s a really helpful video from Martha Stewart if you want a visual. Someday I’ll get pics of my process!
In the video she says to use chilled cake layers but that’s only necessary if your layers crumble when you try to cut into them. This cake doesn’t crumble for me; just be sure your layers are fully cooled and you should be fine.
Set one chocolate layer on a cardboard cake circle or a cake stand and spread frosting over the top. I love an offset spatula for frosting in between cake layers but use what you’re comfortable with.
Top with a pumpkin layer and more frosting. Repeat this process until you’ve used all the layers, then frost your cake and decorate as desired.
I used candy pumpkins to decorate my cake but chocolate truffles would be fun and so would candy corn or even walnuts pressed into the sides. A little crunch in a cake is never a bad thing in my book!
This chocolate pumpkin cake is crazy delicious and I hope you get a chance to try it sometime soon. It’s the best excuse I know to buy pumpkin candies! Just sayin’ 🙂
Other fall desserts (in case you’re hungry!)
Black Velvet Cookies and Cream Cheesecake Cake
Apple Cranberry Pie
Pumpkin Cheesecake Layer Cake
Did you make this chocolate pumpkin cake? That’s awesome! Let me know what you think with a comment and a rating below. And post a pic on Instagram too! Tag @theitsybitsykitchen so I can see your creations!
This chocolate pumpkin cake features chocolate and pumpkin cake layers, chocolate buttercream, and lots of warming fall spices.
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 2/3 cup vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree NOT pumpkin pie filling
- 1/3 cup full-fat sour cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder
- 3 tablespoons whole milk
- 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter at room temperature
- 5 1/2 to 6 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 6 to 10 tablespoons whole milk or heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- candy pumpkins for garnish if desired
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray 2 8-inch round cakes pan with cooking spray. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment and spray the parchment with cooking spray Lightly dust with flour and set aside.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices together in a medium mixing bowl.
- In another large mixing bowl, combine the oil, eggs, sugars, pumpkin, sour cream, and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer set to medium speed until smooth.
- Use a rubber spatula to fold the flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture until smooth. Pour half of the batter into one of the prepared pans and set aside.
- Sift the cocoa powder over the remaining pumpkin batter and add the whole milk. Fold the cocoa powder into the cake batter until incorporated and pour into the second pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Cool for 20 minutes in the pan, then carefully invert onto a wire rack to cool completely before assembling your cake.
- Place the butter in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth.
- With mixer on low, gradually beat in 5 1/2 cups of the powdered sugar, the cocoa powder, 6 tablespoons milk, and the salt. Turn mixer to medium and beat until well combined, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.
- If frosting is too thin, add additional powdered sugar; it it’s too thick add additional milk.
- Use a long serrated knife to split each cake layer into two layers.
- Set one of the chocolate cake layers on a cardboard cake circle or a cake stand and spread an even layer of frosting over the top. Top with a pumpkin layer and more frosting. Continue like this until you’ve used all the cake layers.
- Use the remaining frosting to frost the cake. Decorate as desired and serve.
If you have trouble splitting your cake layers in half horizontally, try chilling them for a few hours.
To bring your butter to room temp for the frosting, leave it out on the counter for 30 minutes; that should be plenty of time.
Cake layers adapted from How to Bake Everything
Emma - Bake Then Eat says
It’s starting to get cold in Scotland now so I am welcoming all Fall inspired foods and flavours. This cake looks ace.
Dana says
I agree with many other commenters on here, what a show stopper Kelsie! Love the colours and layers, it looks so incredible. It’s funny because I’m a chocoholic and I also love pumpkin-everything but I rarely have the two together. I agree, you should definitely turn this into a cheesecake layer cake sometime too haha, I’ll bet it’d be amazing for thanksgiving or Christmas!
I’m SO excited that it’s pumpkin season as well. I’ve made a couple apple and pumpkin pies this week and I’m also making a white chocolate pumpkin cheesecake for our thanksgiving this coming weekend. I might make THIS cake for Halloween!! I know I’m gonna love it YUM! xo
Leanne | Crumb Top Baking says
It’s chilly here and I am so ready for fall! Love this cake Kelsie! I’m absolutely making this one. It’s already pinned and I’m just deciding if I make it for our Thanksgiving next week or for our Halloween get together in a few weeks! I’ll keep you posted!
John / Kitchen Riffs says
Pumpkin time! I always love fall for all the pumpkin recipes. This is a terrific looking cake — really good stuff. And yes, I’d like to see it recreated as a cheesecake too. I’m greedy that way. 🙂 Thanks.
sheenam |thetwincookingproject.net says
Such a beautiful look pumpkin cake!! Yummy.
Kelsie says
Thank you!
2pots2cook says
Beautiful layers. so carefully arranged; love it; pinning !
Kelsie says
Thank you!
kankana Saxena says
Time flies so quickly. Did we just started the year and here we are already planning for holidays and halloween. That chocolate pumpkin cake will be so perfect for the halloween party 🙂
Kelsie says
Thank you, Kankana!
David @ Spiced says
I’ve been craving a slice of this cake ever since I saw the preview on Instagram! I love how this cake looks, Kelsie. It’s so festive! And it happens to be cold (and rainy…bah) here today, so I’m thinking a slice of chocolate pumpkin cake will really make me feel better! Also, when does it finally cool down out there!? Still in the 100s in late September!?
Kelsie says
Thank you so much, David! It might start to cool off next month–but by cool off I mean dip into the 80s 🙂
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says
It JUST started getting kinda chilly here, so I’m doing a little fall dance to the weather Gods that the temperatures start to cool off near you too, Kelsie! So I just found my love for pumpkin last year, and since then I’ve been dying to try pumpkin and chocolate because I feel like I would absolutely LOVE it!!! Too bad my stupid cocoa allergy will prevent me from ever doing so. I’m going to have to make this for the hubs though, because I’m 10000000% sure he would love it! I mean, LOOK AT THOSE LAYERS! All the yes, girl! Cheers!
Kelsie says
Thanks, Chey!
Kelly Lynns Sweets and Treats says
Yes to this pumpkin cake!! Despite it also being in the 90’s here too. I’m totally read for Fall and all things pumpkin. And I totally think you should make a cheesecake version too. Because that’s so Kelsie-like 🙂
Kelsie says
Thank you, Kelly!
Cindy says
This sounds amazing & something I should be able to make! My baking skill are lacking at best 🎃!
Especially since we’re in Arizona!
I’ll send a message 😎🌵👙
Kelsie says
Haha! Thanks, Cindy!
Ben|Havocinthekitchen says
What? There’s no cheesecake involved? #ShockShock#Shock Are you alright, Kelsie? Did you run out of cream cheese? Just kidding – I don’t mind a pumpkin cake without cheesecake being involved (But please find a solution to marriage a pumpkin cake with a cheesecake) cause it looks 100% delicious. And yes, I’m officially open to pumpkin and apple cakes now 🙂 Ship me a slice please.
Kelsie says
Haha! Your slice is saved! Thanks, Ben!
Jill | sugarspicelifeblog says
Pumpkin cake mixed with chocolate cake!! ahh, just stop! this looks amazing!!
Kelsie says
Thank you, Jill!
Laura says
Kelsie – I’m all about pumpkin rn! I love that this one involves adding cocoa to the pumpkin cake to make the chocolate layers! Makes it so easy and extra impressive! Chocolate and pumpkin are a fantastic combo – thanks for the recipe!
Kelsie says
Thank you, Laura!
Abbe@This is How I Cook says
Jeez Kelsie. I’m always afraid of what I’m going to find over here and today is no different. Looks like I’ll be drooling all day!
Kelsie says
Hahaha! Thank you, Abbe!
Milena says
It looks sooo moist and it is so pretty! Definitely must give it a try! You might be taking Halloween seriously:) Pinned!
Kelsie says
Aww thanks, Milena!
Kim Lange says
Wow! 2 of my favorite flavors together! I’m in love!! xo Pinning!
Kelsie says
Thank you, Kim!
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says
I agree with Dawn Kelsie. Total showstopper! Those layers! I need to be your neighbor!
Kelsie says
Thank you, Mary Ann!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food says
Whoa! What a show stopper, Kelsie! When I saw this one on your IG, I couldn’t wait to see the recipe! Those layers are stunning and this one definitely deserves a billion exclamation points 😉 Cute touch with those pumpkin candy too! Have a wonderful week, girlie!
Kelsie says
Thank you, Dawn!