Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

A two-layer Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cake with cream filling and decorative cream swirls on top, garnished with chocolate chips, gold sprinkles, and a drizzle of chocolate, displayed on a cake stand.

5 from 1 vote

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

This Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting is the cozy bake you’ll come back to all season long — moist, rich, and spiced just right. Bake it once, and it’ll earn a permanent spot in your fall rotation. 🍂

Prep Time20

Cook Time28

Total Time48

Course: Cake

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cake

Servings:

Calories: 749kcal

Author: Lucy Parissi | Supergolden Bakes

Equipment

Ingredients

For the cake

1 cup (240g) pumpkin purée
⅓ cup (120ml) vegetable oil
4 large eggs , room temperature
⅓ cup (80g) sour cream, full fat
1 tsp vanilla bean paste or real vanilla extract
2 cups + 2 tbsp (260g) flour , all-purpose / plain flour
1 ¼ cups (250g) light brown sugar
⅕ cup (50g) dark brown sugar
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice or See Note 1
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 ½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda (= bicarbonate of soda)
⅓ tsp salt
1 cup (175g) semisweet chocolate chips

For the frosting

16 oz 2 brick-style cream cheese blocks or 450g mascarpone cheese (see Note 2)
½ cup (100g) dark brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla bean paste or real vanilla extract
1 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
1 cup (250ml) cream, heavy / double cream
1 cup (120g) powdered sugar, (=icing sugar)

Chocolate Drizzle

½ cup (120ml) whipping cream
½ cup (90g) semi-sweet chocolate chips

To decorate

mini chocolate chips
chocolate sprinkles

Instructions

Make the cake layers

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C), line two 8-inch cake pans with baking paper and mist with cake release.
Place the pumpkin purée, vegetable oil, eggs, sour cream and vanilla in a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer). Stir or beat together to combine.
1 cup (240g) pumpkin purée, ⅓ cup (120ml) vegetable oil, 4 large eggs, ⅓ cup (80g) sour cream, full fat, 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
Combine the flour, two types of sugar, spices, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl, making sure to break up the brown sugar.
2 cups + 2 tbsp (260g) flour, 1 ¼ cups (250g) light brown sugar, ⅕ cup (50g) dark brown sugar, 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 ½ tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, ⅓ tsp salt
Add the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl and gently fold into the batter using a spatula until no streaks of flour are visible.
Fold in the chocolate chips and divide the batter between the prepared pans. Bake for 28-30 minutes, or until the cakes are springy to the touch and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
1 cup (175g) semisweet chocolate chips
Leave them in the pan to cool for 10 minutes, then carefully turn out onto a cooling rack. Cover the cake layers with plastic wrap once they have cooled down a little – this will help trap the moisture in the sponge.

Prepare the frosting

Beat the cream cheese, brown sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy.
16 oz 2 brick-style cream cheese blocks , ½ cup (100g) dark brown sugar, 1 tsp vanilla bean paste, 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Whisk the cream and powdered sugar on medium speed in a separate bowl until you have peaks.
1 cup (250ml) cream, heavy / double cream, 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar, (=icing sugar)
Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese until you have a fluffy frosting. Transfer half into a piping bag fitted with a Russian tip (or a large star tip).

Make the chocolate drizzle

Heat the cream until small bubbles form around the edge of the saucepan. Pour over the chocolate chips, let stand for 30 seconds, then stir until completely smooth.
½ cup (90g) semi-sweet chocolate chips, ½ cup (120ml) whipping cream

Assemble the pumpkin layer cake

Pipe a generous amount of frosting onto the bottom cake layer and place the second one on top, bottom side up. Press lightly so that that the two layers stick together.
Spread a layer of the frosting on top of the cake and drizzle with chocolate all around the edge, spreading it in slightly with an offset spatula.
Pipe the remaining frosting on top of the cake and drizzle with more chocolate. Sprinkle with chocolate chips or chocolate sprinkles and serve
mini chocolate chips, chocolate sprinkles

Video

Notes

Note 1: If you can't get hold of pumpkin pie spice blend you can make your own. Combine 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon each ground ginger and ground cloves and half a teaspoon each of ground nutmeg and ground allspice. Store in a jar and use within one month.
Note 2: If you are in the UK use full-fat mascarpone instead of cream cheese in the frosting.
Prep ahead: The cake layers can be baked up to two days in advance. Keep at room temperature covered with plastic wrap. The unfrosted cake layers can also be frozen for up to two months. Thaw overnight and decorate.
There's enough frosting to cover the entire cake instead of leaving the sides open as I have done.
Storing Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cake: The frosted cake will keep lovely and fresh for a couple of days in a cake container away from direct light. You can also store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days, especially if the entire cake is covered in frosting.

Nutrition