Pumpkin Week 2012 - Pumpkin Cake…Literally :)

So at first I wasn’t sure how to end Pumpkin Week 2012, but then my sister, Meredith, was coming for a visit and since I wasn’t there for her birthday I decided to make her a cake.  I was inspired by yesterday’s post of favourites.  Amanda from I Am Baker’s pumpkin cake.  Well not the high tech innards, but just the pumpkin design itself.

So I made her this cake.

The cake itself is a chocolate pumpkin cake and it’s iced with a vanilla bean buttercream.

Recipe: Pumpkin Chocolate Cake

For Two 10x 2-inch cakes (55-70mins)

• 4 cups plus 2 tbls flour
• 3/4 cup plus 1 tbls cocoa
• 2 scant tsp baking soda
• 2 scant tsp baking powder
• 2/3 tsp salt
• 5 large eggs
• 2 1/2 cup greek yogurt
• 3 sticks unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 2 scant cups sugar
• 3/4 cup plus 2tbls packed light brown sugar

1. Preheat oven t 350 degrees.
2. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt.  Set aside.
3. Cream butter, pumpkin puree and sugars together.
4. Add eggs, one at a time.
5. Alternate adding yogurt and flour mix until just combined.
6. Divide into three 9” pans.
7. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
8. Let cool and ice.

Recipe: Vanilla Bean Buttercream

• 2 sticks unsalted butter
• 1 cup shortening
• 8 cups icing sugar
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tsp vanilla bean paste

1. Cream butter and shortening together.
2. Add icing sugar.
3. Add milk 1/4 at a time.  If too firm add more milk 1 tbsp at a time.
4. Add vanilla bean paste.
5. Colour as required.

I hope you enjoyed this years Pumpkin Week, I know I did!  Until next year.

Also don’t forget that I’m holding a Jack-O-Lantern contest.  Your carved pumpkins or a decorated version (cake or cookie).  Just upload them to my Facebook page or email me your submission at trilogyedibles@hotmail.com.  The judges are my daughters, so I take no accountability :)  The prize will be fun and yet to be purchased. There will be one for carved and one for edible. It’s just a totally fun contest.  So let’s see your fun pumpkins.

Thanks for looking!