Mom’s Chocolate Pumpkin Cake

Owner Merry Ann Webb’s mother, Juanita Edwards, makes all the cakes served up at The Rib House. At 81, she’s still going strong. Her cakes are rich, moist and a favorite of those who enjoy savory sweet cake after a meal of ribs and brisket. They are so coveted Webb couldn’t divulge the recipes for the cakes served in-house. Never fear, Edwards offered a family favorite: Her holiday chocolate pumpkin cake will put smiles on the faces of your holiday party guests with subtle spices of the season and a to-die-for dose of gooey chocolate goodness. (It sure put smiles on our faces when she snuck us a slice!)

Cake Ingredients

• 1-1/2 C flour

• 2/3 C cocoa

• 2 tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/2 C buttermilk

• 1 C pumpkin puree

• 2 tsp vanilla extract

• 3/4 C butter, softened

• 1 C dark brown sugar

• 1 C granulated sugar

• 3 large eggs

• 1 egg yolk

Instructions

1. Line the bottoms of two 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper and lightly butter them.

2. Sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt together. Stir the buttermilk, pumpkin and vanilla extract together in a small bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and yolk, one at a time. Reduce mixer speed to low and alternately beat in the flour and buttermilk mixtures in thirds.

3. Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake until a tester, inserted in the center, comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool layers completely before icing.

Icing Ingredients

• 6 oz cream cheese, softened

• 1-1/2 C confectioners’ sugar

• 2-1/4 tsp cocoa

• 1/4 tsp cinnamon

• 3/4 tsp vanilla

• 1-1/2 C heavy cream

• 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar

• 1/4 tsp orange food coloring

Instructions

1. Beat softened cream cheese using a mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy. Add the 1-1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar, cocoa, cinnamon, and vanilla and beat on low speed until well combined. In a separate bowl, beat heavy cream with the 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar and orange food coloring on medium-high to soft peaks.

2. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until well combined. Spread 1 cup frosting between the two layers and use the remaining frosting to ice the top and sides of the cake. Chill 30 minutes and proceed to glaze.

Glaze Ingredients

4 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1 T unsalted butter, cold

3 T corn syrup

1/2 C heavy cream

Instructions

1. Place bittersweet chocolate, butter and corn syrup in a heatproof bowl. Bring cream to a boil, pour over chocolate. Let sit for 3 minutes. Gently stir, with a whisk, until smooth. Let sit for 3–5 minutes until thickened slightly. Pour glaze onto the center of the frosted cake. Smooth out to the edges to allow the glaze to drip over the sides.