I would normally tell a little story to kick off my column, but if you have read ahead, you know that I have a monster of a recipe to share with you this week.
I took this cake to a Friendsgiving meal with friends, and it was definitely a hit. Beware, though, you will spend literally hours in your kitchen to create this recipe, so be sure to clear your schedule before trying it.
This comes from the blog “Sugar Hero” by Elizabeth LaBau. You can find the original post at https://www.sugarhero.com/pumpkin-chocolate-mousse-cake/. I changed a few of the ingredient amounts just slightly, but honestly, I was a bit intimidated to change a lot.
Pumpkin Chocolate Mousse Cake
Ingredients
Cake Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1/2 cup buttermilk or regular milk with a touch of vinegar
- 2/3 cup flour
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Pumpkin Cinnamon Mousse Ingredients
- 10 ounces cinnamon chips
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream divided
- 1/3 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons unflavored powdered gelatin
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 heaping teaspoon cinnamon
Pumpkin Butterscotch Mousse Ingredients
- 10 ounces butterscotch chips
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream divided
- 1/3 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons unflavored powdered gelatin
- 2 tablespoons water
Salted Caramel Mousse Ingredients
- 10 ounces salted caramel chips
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream divided
- 1/3 cup salted caramel dessert topping
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons unflavored powdered gelatin
- 2 tablespoons water
Chocolate Ganache Ingredients
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 3 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a nine- or 10-inch springform pan with parchment and spray it with nonstick cooking spray.
- For the cake layer, beat the butter, sugar and brown sugar in a mixing bowl until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
- Alternate adding the dry ingredients and buttermilk into the batter, beating in between additions.
- When everything is well incorporated, pour the batter into your prepared pan, spreading it out evenly.
- Bake the cake for 22 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry.
- Let the cake cool completely and remove it from the pan before moving on to the next step.
- When you’re ready to start the next layers, prepare your springform pan by lining the sides with a double layer of aluminum foil, making sure that the strip creates a stiff wall at least four inches tall, from the bottom of the pan, up. (This is going to hold your mousse layers together while they set up.)
- For easy serving, cut a piece of heavy cardboard the same size as the bottom of your pan and cover it in aluminum foil or waxed paper. Place the cake on top of the cardboard in the pan.
- For the cinnamon layer, add the cinnamon chips, pumpkin, 1/2 cup cream and salt in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high, 30 seconds at a time and stirring in between each heating until the mixture is smooth.
- Pour the melted mixture into a large bowl and let it cool to close to room temperature, stirring it a few times while you wait.
- In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine the gelatin powder and water and stir well. Set it aside.
- When the cinnamon mixture is cooled, microwave the prepared gelatin for 15 seconds. Whisk it into the cinnamon mixture and whisk in the ground cinnamon.
- Whip the remaining cream until stiff peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the cinnamon mixture, and then carefully pour the mousse over top of the cake layer in your springform pan. Spread it evenly and refrigerate for at least 25 minutes before moving on to the next layer.
- For the butterscotch layer, add the butterscotch chips, pumpkin, 1/2 cup cream and salt in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high, 30 seconds at a time and stirring in between each heating until the mixture is smooth.
- Pour the melted mixture into a large bowl and let it cool to close to room temperature, stirring it a few times while you wait.
- In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine the gelatin powder and water and stir well. Set it aside.
- When the butterscotch mixture is cooled, microwave the prepared gelatin for 15 seconds. Whisk it into the butterscotch mixture.
- Whip the remaining cream until stiff peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the butterscotch mixture, and then carefully pour the mousse over top of the cinnamon layer in your springform pan. Spread it evenly and refrigerate for at least 25 minutes before moving on to the next layer.
- For the salted caramel layer, add the salted caramel chips, 1/2 cup cream, salted caramel topping, vanilla and salt in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high, 30 seconds at a time and stirring in between each heating until the mixture is smooth.
- Pour the melted mixture into a large bowl and let it cool to close to room temperature, stirring it a few times while you wait.
- In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine the gelatin powder and water and stir well. Set it aside.
- When the salted caramel mixture is cooled, microwave the prepared gelatin for 15 seconds. Whisk it into the salted caramel mixture.
- Whip the remaining cream until stiff peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the salted caramel mixture, and then carefully pour the mousse over top of the butterscotch layer in your springform pan. Spread it evenly and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before completing the final layer.
- For the ganache, heat the cream to a low simmer and pour it over the chocolate chips in a small bowl. Whisk the mixture until it is smooth and the chocolate is fully melted. Pour the ganache over top of the salted caramel layer, and gently spread it to the edges of the pan.
- Refrigerate the finished cake overnight or for at least four hours before removing it from the pan.
- Remove the cake from the pan, carefully unwrap it, and transfer to a plate for serving.
- For an extra wow factor, beat some heavy cream until stiff peaks form, and fold in powdered sugar until it reaches your desired level of sweetness. Add it to the top of your cake. Slice the cake with a sharp knife and keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Cut this into small slices, because it’s a very rich cake with a lot going on. One friend suggested you could take the same components and layer it into parfait glasses, and I thought that was an excellent idea, too.
I don’t normally take on huge recipes like this one, but it was fun for a change of pace. The leftovers weren’t a bad bonus, either.
This piece first appeared in print on Dec. 1, 2022.
Spice Up Your Life is a weekly newspaper column written by Lindsey Young in south central Kansas. If you are interested in sponsoring this column, please contact us through the “Contact Lindsey” link at the top of the page.