Chocolate Pumpkin Cake

It’s time for the next installment of Fall Fest – Pumpkin. Whether you use it out of the can or cook it down yourself; spice it up or sweetened it, pumpkin is a fall staple that is versatile and of course delicious!  This will be evident in the list of pumpkin recipes from the other Fall Fest bloggers listed at the end of this post.

Many, many years ago I came across a recipe that substituted pumpkin for the oil and eggs in cake mix recipes.  I’ve tried it with spice cake mix (which is unbelievably delicious) and I’ve tried it with chocolate cake mix (actually devil’s food) because I LOVE chocolate.  In both instances the result was a very moist cake that is more dense than the traditional, but still tastes like the flavor you choose.  The pumpkin doesn’t mask the flavor of the cake but adds a ton of richness and moisture.

I usually bake mine in a bundt pan and since the cake is so rich on it’s own there’s no need for frosting, just a powdered sugar glaze or a sprinkling of powdered sugar to finish it off.

Since there isn’t any oil or eggs in this recipes it’s the perfect low fat solution when you just want something sweet and still stick to your eating plan.

To make Chocolate Pumpkin cake here's what you'll need:

1 cake mix, any flavor but I prefer chocolate or spice

1 15 ounce can of plain canned pumpkin, NOT pumpkin pie filling

1/4 cup water if batter is too thick

1 bundt pan

Add the cake mix to a stand mixer bowl then add the pumpkin. Mix until incorporated then turn speed up and mix for about 2 minutes. The longer you mix the more air you will add so the lighter the cake will be.

Pour the batter into a greased bundt pan and bake at 350 for about 30 minutes.  Let cool slightly before turning it out onto a serving platter.  Make a light glaze of powdered sugar and milk or dust with just powdered sugar.

Looks good, huh? Just how good?  Each serving has 127.6 calories.  Not bad for a decadent tasting dessert that's oh so easy!

Now for more amazing, delicious ways to use pumpkin from my friends and fellow Fall Fest bloggers:

Jeanette's Healthy Living:  Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Pancakes
Chez Us:  Pull Apart Pumpkin-Pecan Bread With Maple Bourbon Frosting
And Love It Too:  Vanilla Pumpkin Swirl Cake With Vanilla Palm Sugar Glaze
Haute Apple Pie:  Creamy Pumpkin Penne With Italian Sausage
HGTV Gardens:  Garden-to-Table: Pumpkins
Made By Michelle:  Pumpkin Scones
Napa Farmhouse 1885:   Roasted Pumpkin and Black Bean Stew With Chorizo and Pepitas
Devour:  5 Delicious Ways to Use Pumpkins After Carving
Virtually Homemade:   Pumpkin Pancakes With Maple Cream and Candied Vanilla Pecans
The Heritage Cook:  Gingery Pumpkin Mousse With Whipped Ginger Cream
Thursday Night Dinner: Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Pie
Cooking With Books: Pumpkin-Bacon Brussels Sprouts
FN Dish:   Primping Up Pumpkin
Feed Me Phoebe:  Roasted Pumpkin Wedges With Chili, Lime and Cotija