Chocolate and Pumpkin Pie Layer Cake

• Vegetarian

• Produce

  • 1/2 tsp Ginger, ground
  • 22 oz Pumpkin puree, pure

• Refrigerated

  • 3 Egg
  • 2 Egg whites, large
  • 4 Eggs, large

• Condiments

  • 1 1/4 cup Maple syrup, pure

• Baking & Spices

  • 1 1/3 cup All-purpose flour
  • 1/4 tsp Allspice
  • 1 tsp Baking powder
  • 2 tsp Baking soda
  • 4 tsp Cinnamon, ground
  • 3/4 cup Cocoa powder, unsweetened
  • 1 Cocoa powder
  • 1/4 tsp Cream of tartar
  • 6 oz Dark chocolate
  • 2 3/8 cups Granulated sugar
  • 1/2 tsp Nutmeg
  • 4 3/4 tsp Salt
  • 1 Pinch Salt
  • 1/2 cup Sugar
  • 1 1/4 tsp Vanilla
  • 1/2 Vanilla bean, seeds

• Oils & Vinegars

  • 1/2 cup Canola oil
  • 1 Vinegar

• Snacks

  • 16 oz Speculoos cookies

• Drinks

  • 1 cup Coffee, strong

• Dairy

  • 11 tbsp Brown butter
  • 1 cup Buttermilk
  • 2 1/4 cups Heavy cream
  • 1/3 cup Sour cream

Found on theroadtohoney.com

Description

Ingredients

• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 1/3 cup all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup strong coffee
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 16 ounces Speculoos Cookies (~58-60 Cookies)
• 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 3 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 11 tablespoons brown butter, melted
• 1 egg
• 4 large eggs
• 22 ounces pure pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon allspice
• 1 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/2 vanilla bean (seeds)
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 6 ounces dark chocolate (60-85% Cacao), chopped
• 3/4 cup (6 ounces) heavy cream
• Vinegar (to clean bowl, whisk, & piping bag)
• 2 large egg whites
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• Cocoa powder (optional, for dusting)

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 350° F.
• Line a 10 x 15-inch sheet pan with parchment paper & butter & flour it.
• Combine first 7 ingredients (sugar through salt) in a large bowl. Mix well.
• Combine the wet ingredients (buttermilk through vanilla extract) in a medium sized bowl. Mix well.
• Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients & mix until just combined. Dont overmix.
• Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan & bake for 30 - 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove & completely cool on a wire rack.
• Place the cake in the freezer overnight (this will make it easier to cut into rounds or to place on top of the pumpkin layer if you are assembling as a slab cake).
• To make the brown butter: Melt the butter in a heavy bottomed sauce pan on medium heat. Continue to cook, swirling the pan occasionally to ensure the butter browns evenly. You will cook until the butter takes on a nutty aroma & turns a toasty brown color. Remove the butter from the stove top & allow it to cool for 15 minutes (the butter still should be melted). If this is your first time browning butter, you can read more about it *HERE*
• Place speculoos cookies in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment & pulse until fine.
• Add the sugar, salt, & ground cinnamon & pulse until evenly distributed.
• While pulsing, slowly stream in the melted butter (brown bits & all). Continue to pulse until the crumbs are evenly wet.
• Press the crumbs evenly into an ungreased 10 x 15 inch rimmed sheet pan.
• Use the bottom of a flat bottom cup to continue to roll the crumbs out evenly & smooth any bumps. I also used an offset spatula to firmly press down the corners & edges of the crust.
• Freeze until solid (about 10 minutes).
• Center a rack in the oven & preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Bake crust for 10 -15 minutes, or until set.
• Beat one egg & carefully brush on top of the cookie crust. Use just enough to lightly coat the crust.
• Place the crust back into the oven & bake until the egg is dry (about 3 minutes). This will help prevent the crust from getting soggy once the filling is added.
• Cool completely on a wire rack. Refrigerate the crust prior to filling to set any crumbs in place.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Whisk together the pumpkin puree, sour cream, cinnamon, salt, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, & eggs.
• Pour maple syrup into a medium saucepan.
• Stir in the seeds from 1/2 a vanilla bean.
• Bring syrup to a boil.
• Reduce heat to medium high & simmer, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens. Keep an eye that it does not bubble over.
• Once the syrup starts to release small puffs of steam, remove it from the stovetop .
• Stir cream into the syrup mixture in 4 additions.
• Whisk the hot maple cream into the pumpkin mixture slowly.
• Place the sheet pan with the cookie crust on a larger rimmed sheet pan (to make handling easier).
• Pour the filling over top of the cookie crust.
• Bake the pie for 30-45 minutes, or until the center is slightly jiggly. Be sure to rotate the pan mid-way through making.
• Turn the oven off and let the pie sit in the oven an additional 10-15 minutes.
• Crack the oven door and let the pie rest in the oven for 10-20 more minutes.
• Remove the pie from the oven & allow it to cool completely on a wire rack.
• Place the pie in the freezer overnight if you are planning on cutting out rounds. This will make it easier to slice the rounds. If you are assembling a slab pie, you dont need to place in the freezer.
• Finely chop the chocolate & set aside.
• Place cream in a small saucepan on medium-low heat.
• Bring to a simmer,
• Remove the cream & pour over the chopped chocolate.
• Stir gently to distribute the cream amongst the chocolate, then allow it to sit for 5 minutes. This will give the chocolate time to soften.
• Using a rubber spatula or whisk, slowly stir the chocolate in a figure eight pattern until it is smooth & everything is incorporated.
• Allow the ganache to cool until it reaches a spreadable consistency. You dont want it too warm as it will slide off the cake.
• Pre-heat oven to 200° F.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Wipe down the stand mixer bowl & whisk attachment with vinegar. This will remove any residual grease.
• Place granulated sugar in a food processor & pulse until fine.
• Place egg whites & cream of tartar into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Take extreme care not to get any yolks in the whites.
• Turn the mixer on low speed & whisk until bubbles form (about 1 minute).
• Once bubbles form, turn the mixer on high & whisk until stiff peaks form (about 1-2 minute).
• With the mixer still on high, slowly add in the fine sugar, 1 spoonful at a time.
• Whisk until the meringue is glossy (6-7 minutes). To check to see if your meringue is ready, take a little bit of the mixture between your thumb & forefinger. If it still feels gritty, continue mixing on high.
• Once grittiness is gone, add in vanilla extract & a pinch of salt.
• Whisk until combined.
• Spoon the meringue mixture into a piping bag fitted with a piping tip (I used a Wilton 1M) or place into a large plastic baggy & cut off the tip.
• Pipe meringues onto the parchment lined baking sheet.
• Bake meringues until dry (about 1 hour).
• Turn the oven off & leave meringues in the oven to cool completely (a couple of hours or overnight).
• Store in an airtight container until ready to use (up to one week)
• Remove the chocolate cake layer from the freezer & allow it to warm up just enough so that you can cut it with a 3 inch biscuit cutter.
• If needed, use a knife to level out the tops of the cakes.
• Remove the pumpkin pie from the freezer & allow it to warm up just enough so that you can cut it with a 3 inch biscuit cutter. You will need to gently push around the outer edges to get it out of the cutter. Use a small offset spatula to smooth out the top (if needed).
• Prepare the chocolate ganache. Allow it to cool so that it reaches a spreadable consistency.
• Place either a cake or pie round on a place. Spread a little chocolate ganache on top of this round. Repeat, alternating between pie & cake.
• Place a small amount of the chocolate ganache on the top layer & use a spoon to push small drips over the side.
• Decorate with meringues just before serving (if desired)
• Remove the chocolate layer cake from the freezer.
• Prepare the ganache (you may need to make a double batch, depending on how thick you want the chocolate to be). Allow it to cools so that it reaches a spreadable consistency.
• Spread a layer of ganache on top of the pumpkin pie.
• Carefully place the chocolate cake on top of the pumpkin pie.
• Spread another layer of chocolate ganache on top of the cake.
• Decorate with meringues just before serving (if desired).