By CountryLiving
This
stunningly spooky cake makes a delicious Halloween dessert, but is also
pretty enough to serve as your party table's centerpiece.
Total Time:
Prep:
Level:
Moderate
Serves:
12
Ingredients
- 2 c. all-purpose flour
- ¾ c. unsweetened cocoa
- 1½ tsp. baking soda
- ¼ tsp. salt
- 1 c. lowfat buttermilk
- ¾ c. canned pure pumpkin
- 2 c. granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- Brown Butter Frosting
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Directions
- Prepare cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 8-inh round cake pans. Line bottoms with parchment paper; grease. Dust pans with flour.
- In large bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. In medium bowl, whisk buttermilk, pumpkin, and vanilla. In large bowl, with mixer on low speed, beat butter and sugar until blended. Increase speed to high; beat 5 minutes or until pale and fluffy, occasionally scraping bowl with rubber spatula. Reduce speed to med.-low; add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture; beat just until batter is smooth, occasionally scraping bowl with rubber spatula.
- Divide batter evenly among prepared pans. Bake cakes 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. With small knife, loosen layers from sides of pans; invert onto wire racks. Carefully remove and discard parchment; cool completely, about 45 minutes. Layers can be wrapped in plastic and stored at room temperature up to 1 day or in freezer up to 1 month. Bring to room temperature before decorating.
- Meanwhile, prepare Brown Butter Frosting; tint with orange gel food coloring to desired shade. Place 1 cake layer onto cake stand. Top with one-third of frosting; spread evenly. Add second cake layer on top. Spread remaining frosting all over top and sides of cake. Cake can be stored, covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated, up to 3 days.
