Pumpkin Cake with Gooey Chocolate Chunks

This Chocolate Chunk Pumpkin Cake has it all — pumpkin, pumpkin spices, caramel, chocolate, and whipped cream.

I want to share a little story about this recipe and what I learned while making it. Call it The Adventures of Melanie and the Chocolate Chunk Pumpkin Cake. It’s more than a dessert — it’s a reminder that baking rewards patience and attention to detail. Read on for a few tips, a short mishap story, and a great autumn cake you’ll want to serve all season.

My mom keeps a massive shared collection of recipes she gathers from everywhere, and I found this gem tucked away in her file. I planned to make it that fall, and when an unexpectedly sunny afternoon arrived I hurried to bake and photograph it. The cake turned out beautifully and tasted amazing, but rushing taught me a few lessons worth passing on.

First, I almost forgot the sugar. Imagine a cake without sugar — it would not be a cake. I tasted the batter before folding in the chocolate chunks and it was noticeably bland. Luckily I noticed and corrected it before baking. This was an important reminder: taste and check your batter when appropriate (but don’t taste raw eggs or raw flour mixtures you suspect might be unsafe). Better yet, take your time and follow the recipe carefully.

Second, I didn’t grease the bundt pan well enough. When I turned the pan over, half the cake stayed behind. I almost gave up, but instead I gently loosened the stuck piece and used it to patch the missing section. With caramel sauce on top, the repair was invisible and the cake looked whole again. The lesson: grease the pan very well. I recommend coating the pan with shortening and flour, or mixing equal parts oil, shortening, and flour into a spreadable “baking goop” and brushing it into every nook of the pan. Remove the cake from the pan after about 10 minutes of cooling — not too long, and it should release cleanly.

When your bundt comes out intact, spoon the molasses caramel sauce over the top, slice the cake, add molasses-scented whipped cream, and finish with a dusting of pumpkin pie spice. Then indulge — and share.

Chocolate Chunk Pumpkin Cake

Ingredients

For the Cake:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 ounces semisweet chocolate, cut into chunks (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
• 3/4 cup canola oil
• 6 eggs, beaten

For the Caramel Sauce:

• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup dark corn syrup (such as Karo)
• 2 tablespoons molasses

For the Whipped Cream:

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons molasses

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a bundt pan very well. For best results, use shortening and flour or a mixture of equal parts oil, shortening, and flour brushed into the pan so it reaches every crevice.
2. Reserve 1/4 cup of the flour and toss it with the chopped chocolate to coat; set aside. This helps prevent the chocolate from sinking in the batter.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the remaining flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Make a well in the center and set aside.
4. In a separate bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, canola oil, and beaten eggs. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Fold in the flour-coated chocolate pieces gently so they distribute without overmixing.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan and bake 60–70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Baking time will vary with ovens; mine took about 70 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert and remove. Allow the cake to cool an additional 30 minutes before adding the sauce.
6. About 20 minutes after removing the cake from the pan, make the caramel sauce. In a small saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar, dark corn syrup, and molasses. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce thickens slightly, about 2–4 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes, then spoon over the cooled cake. Allow the sauce to set before slicing.
7. Whip the cream: combine the heavy whipping cream, tablespoon of granulated sugar, and molasses in a mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Pipe or spoon the whipped cream onto each cake slice and finish with a light dusting of pumpkin pie spice.
8. Serve and enjoy. Store any leftovers covered in the refrigerator for best freshness.

Tips: Taste batter when safe to do so and double-check measurements to avoid missing key ingredients like sugar. Grease bundt pans thoroughly and remove cakes after a short cooling period to prevent sticking. Coating chocolate chunks with a little flour helps them stay suspended in the batter.

Recipe Source: Tastebook via my mom’s large recipe collection.