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This decorative vertical layer pumpkin orange chocolate cake is a feast for your mouth and eye. Wow your family and friends by serving this amazing cake at your Thanksgiving table.

The vertical layers of a sponge cake, orange pumpkin, and chocolate are not the only attractive part. The flavor is definitely a conversation piece too.

What's to love about this pumpkin cake?

If you like jelly roll cakes, you will love this one too - it's basically a large Swiss roll cake turned on its side to create that vertical effect!

You probably already know that chocolate and orange complement each other but did you know pumpkin and orange is a match made in heaven? Add chocolate to that and BAM - a burst of delicious aromas in your mouth that will wake up all your senses.

Plus, how many cakes with vertical layers have you seen? This cake will definitely steal the show at any gathering!

Ingredients:

Traditional German recipe uses homemade pumpkin puree. I wasn't up for the lengthy process of cooking the pumpkin, so my shortcut was canned pumpkin puree and adjusting the ingredients for a tasty filling.

*Keep scrolling to get the full (printable) recipe, ingredient amounts, and more tips, or click on the "Skip to Recipe" button at the top of the page.

pumpkin puree - canned, but you can make it from scratch if you prefer

- canned, but you can make it from scratch if you prefer cream cheese - best if full fat

- best if full fat chocolate instant pudding & pie filling

all-purpose flour - sub with cake flour

- sub with cake flour cocoa powder

eggs - large

- large sugar - use 1:1 sugar substitute

- use 1:1 sugar substitute powdered sugar

butter - or margarine

- or margarine milk - full fat

- full fat heavy cream

oil - vegetable, corn, or canola oil

- vegetable, corn, or canola oil cornstarch - also called cornflour in some countries

- also called cornflour in some countries vanilla and orange extract

pumpkin pie spice

vinegar or lemon juice

The process for this cake is above the beginner level. The first time I made this delicious vertical layer cake, it turned out great (must be the beginner luck). However, I didn't take many photos.

The second time it ended up in the trash bin. The fillings were too soft and they oozed out to the point of no saving it. 🙁

But fear not! By failing, I was documenting every detail, step by step, so you can learn from my mistakes. If I could make it, with this tutorial you can make it too!

This pumpkin cake is too good and too pretty not to give it a second and even a third chance. Yep, the third time is the charm.

HOW DO I MAKE CHOCOLATE GARNISHES?

Easy! Melt 1 cup chocolate candy melts (or chocolate without cocoa butter) over a double boiler.

For the large chocolate pumpkin:

Print out (or draw) clipart of a pumpkin you like, and place under a piece of wax paper.

Put 1-2 tablespoons of melted chocolate into a piping bag or a small Ziploc bag and cut off a small piece of one corner.

Pipe the chocolate onto the wax paper, tracing the lines of the pumpkin underneath. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Using a dough scraper, gently transfer the pumpkin to the top of the cake.

For small chocolate pumpkins:

Spread remaining melted chocolate evenly in a thin layer on a piece of wax paper. Let cool at room temperature for 3-5 minutes, or until solid.

Using a small pumpkin-shaped cookie (or cheese) cutter, cut out pumpkins. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Recipe notes:

Before you run off buying ingredients, let me warn you that (a) the cake is rich, so if you’re watching your weight - you can watch it grow and (b) making it will take a good portion of your day. Just don’t start five other cooking projects at the same time as I did and you will be fine. 🙂

I would also recommend reading ingredients, directions, and tips a couple of times before starting to bake. I get easily confused when I need to follow a complex recipe to a T and it helps me understand all the steps beforehand.

You can slice the cake roll into 4 even strips. It will yield a shorter cake but with more vertical layers.

If the fillings are too soft, refrigerate them to prevent oozing out of the cake, however, make sure they are still easily spreadable.

To cut the cake for serving, keep a large serrated knife dipped in hot water. Clean the knife after each slice and warm it again in the water for the next slice.

You can decorate the cake any way you like and even use a different frosting.

More fall desserts you will love: