Pumpkin Snack Cake Recipe you'll love!

Staying on the pumpkin theme, I’m sharing my recipe for a Pumpkin Pecan Chocolate Snack Cake. I used to be a pumpkin purist and would not add chocolate to pumpkin. But then I came across this recipe and now I can’t imagine pumpkin cake without a touch of chocolate somewhere. P.S. I also make a Chocolate Frosted Pumpkin Cake that I love just as much, and will be making next week. Should I share that recipe????

 I am making the snack cake this week with pumpkin puree I made from Kabocha, Honey Nut and Butternut squashes from the market. Making your own pumpkin puree is very easy to do and the flavor payoff is worth the minimal effort. I cut my pumpkins in half, pull out the seeds, and place the pumpkins cut side down on a baking tray and roast in a 375 degree oven for about 45 minutes or until fork tender. Then I peel off the skin with a spoon, place the flesh in a food process with a little bit of water and puree until smooth. I store my puree in large Ball jars in the fridge and it lasts two to three weeks. I hope you make your own pumpkin puree and get baking! 

Pumpkin Pecan Chocolate Snack Cake 

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ cups sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

2 tsp pumpkin pie spice 

1 ¾ cups pumpkin puree

4 eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

1 cup chopped pecans

1 cup dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips

Optional frosting

2 ½ cups powdered sugar

2 Tbsp melted butter

¼ cup maple syrup

2 teaspoons vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 13x9 baking dish. Measure all of the dry ingredients into a large bowl, except the pecans and chocolate chips, and mix until combined.  Measure all of the wet ingredients into a bowl and mix until combined. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk until combined. Fold in the pecans and chocolate chips. Pour into baking dish and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cake cool completely before icing. 

To make the icing, combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Pour over cake. 

Note: to make your own batch of pumpkin pie spice mix, you’ll need:

3 Tablespoons ground cinnamon + 2 teaspoons ground ginger + 1 ½ teaspoons ground cloves + 1 ½ teaspoons ground allspice + 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg. Mix together well, store in a sealed container.