Ingredients:
Small amount of vegetable shortening and flour for preparing pan
Batter:
2¾ cups all-purpose flour, divided
2 teaspoons baking powder, divided
1 teaspoon salt, divided
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
¾ cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1½ cups unsalted butter, room temperature
3 cups granulated sugar
6 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1¼ cups fresh pumpkin puree or canned pumpkin
2/3 cup buttermilk
Chocolate Glaze:
½ cup (4 ounces) semisweet chocolate
½ cup whipping (heavy) cream
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon light corn syrup
Tip: Use standard measuring cups and spoons or scales for accurate measuring.
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Prepare one 9 inch fluted tube pan; lightly grease the pan with shortening and dust with flour.
Batter:
- In a small mixing bowl, combine 1¾ cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves; sift or whisk together to mix. Set aside for the pumpkin batter.
- In another small mixing bowl, combine 1 cup flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt, and cocoa powder; whisk together to mix. Set aside for the chocolate batter.
- In a large bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Tip: To cream, start by placing the butter in the bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed begin by beating the butter about 1 minute until it is smooth and light in color.
With the mixer still on medium speed, slowly add the sugar to the butter, either one tablespoon at a time, or in a very slow steady stream, taking from 4 to 8 minutes to add all of the sugar, and beating until the butter and sugar are fully incorporated and the mixture is a light, or pale yellow color, with a fluffy texture. While adding the sugar, stop the mixer occasionally to scrape the mixture off the paddle and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating until thoroughly mixed. Add the vanilla along with the last egg.
Tip: For each egg, crack the egg into a small bowl and whisk with a fork to thoroughly break up the egg before adding to the creamed mixture. Start with the mixer on low speed so the liquid from the egg doesn’t splatter, once the egg is partially mixed increase the speed to medium. Each egg should be fully incorporated into the mixture before adding the next egg, taking about one minute to blend in each egg.
- Remove ½ of the batter and place in a medium size mixing bowl.
- To one of the batters, add the pumpkin; using a rubber spatula stir until well blended. Add the pumpkin flour mixture: stir just until blended. Set aside.
- To the other batter, add about one third of the chocolate flour mixture, using a rubber spatula mix just until the flour is almost completely blended. Add about one half of the buttermilk, blending just until mixed. Continue alternating with the flour mixture and buttermilk, ending with the last portion of the flour, and stirring just until blended.
- Using 2 large spoons, alternate placing large spoonfuls of the chocolate and pumpkin batters in the prepared pan, carefully spreading the batters so they touch each other and the sides of the pan. Make a second layer of batter, placing spoonfuls of pumpkin batter on top of the chocolate, and the chocolate batter on top of the pumpkin. Repeat, alternating the flavors, making about four layers. Firmly tap the pan two or three times on the counter to level the batter. Using a butter knife, zigzag the knife through the batter to swirl the batters, circling through the pan twice. Don’t overwork the batters; you are creating a marbled look, not stirring the flavors together.
Bake:
- Bake 1 hour 15 minutes to 1½ hours or until a long toothpick, wooden skewer, or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Place pan on a wire cooling rack to cool for 30 minutes then remove cake from the pan and place the cake on the wire cooling rack to finish cooling.
Chocolate Glaze:
- In top of a double boiler over hot water, combine chocolate, whipping cream, butter, and corn syrup. Heat, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat; cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally as it cools. The glaze thickens as it cools; the glaze should be like a soft icing, but thin enough that it will run down over the sides of the cake.
Tip: Create a double boiler by filling a saucepan with 2 inches of water and bringing it to a simmer. Place a stainless steel, ceramic, or glass bowl on top of the simmering water, the upper pan should not touch the water.
- Drizzle glaze over the cake, allowing the glaze to drip down the sides. Let the glaze set before serving.
Tip: Serve cake using a pretty cake plate and cake server for a delightful presentation.
TheBakingPan.com
Source: Sunset Magazine, November 2003
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