Chocolate Pumpkin Bundt Cake


I have now been back in North America for a week tomorrow and will be traveling up to Canada to visit family on Sunday. Although I miss Italy, it is good to be back “home, ” and I am looking forward to spending quality time with family. Before we packed up our house in Umbria, I worked hard to use up everything left in my freezer and refrigerator.

Our handyman had given us a lovely big zucca, or pumpkin a few weeks earlier that I had roasted and pureed for the freezer. I had hoped to make pumpkin pasta with some of it but simply ran out of time. I knew that a cake would be eaten up quickly as we always have some Italian workmen at our house the last couple of weeks before we leave, closing up the pool, servicing the furnace, along with other last minute things on our “to do list”.

When we have anyone at our home, my husband always offers them an espresso and something to go with it before they leave. Of course, I am expected to bake that “something to go with it”!

In Italy, you cannot buy canned pumpkin, so I make my pumpkin puree by roasting the pumpkin, pureeing it, and then draining it in a sieve to remove some of the excess liquid. You can make your own pumpkin puree, or simply buy canned pumpkin, but not canned pumpkin pie filling.

Also, although this cake would look lovely with a glaze, Italians prefer their desserts without icing or glazes, as do my husband and I, so I usually just dust my cakes with some powdered sugar. If you prefer, use your favorite chocolate glaze or icing on the cake once it has cooled. My husband and I enjoyed a slice of this cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream before I saved the rest for our guests.

Buon Appetito!
Deborah Mele 

Chocolate Pumpkin Bundt Cake

Chocolate Pumpkin Bundt Cake

Yield: Serves 12
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 Cups Sugar
  • 3/4 Cup Vegetable Oil
  • 3 Large Eggs At Room Temperature
  • 1 Teaspoon Salt
  • 1 1/2 Teaspoons Baking Soda
  • 1/2 Cup Unsweetened Dark Cocoa
  • 1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
  • 2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • 2 1/2 Cups Flour
  • 1/2 Cup Milk
  • 1 Can (15 ounce) Pumpkin Puree
  • 1 Cup Chocolate Chips
  • 1 Cup Chopped Walnus

To Serve:

  • Powdered Sugar

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, and grease a 10-inch Bundt pan.
  2. In one medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, oil and eggs.
  3. In a separate bowl stir together the flour, salt, baking soda, cocoa, and cinnamon and baking powder.
  4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, and with an electric hand mixer on medium speed, add the milk and pumpkin and beat until blended.
  5. Stir in the chocolate chips and walnuts, then spoon the batter into the prepared Bundt pan.
  6. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out cleanly.
  7. Cool 10 minutes, then remove the cake from the pan and continue to cool to room temperature.
  8. Dust with powdered sugar, then slice and enjoy!
 

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

6 Comments

  1. This sounds divine! I’m making this for Thanksgiving for sure. I think I would like to add some slightly roasted pumpkin seeds as well as the chocolate chips! Thank you for sharing this recipe!!

  2. my dear husband doesn’t like cinnamon. any suggestions to replace the cinnamon?? thanks for such great recipes and sharing them with all of us!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.