chocolate harvest cake

Last week I was having my first experience with strange back pain. Not cool. But my mother, always eager to make things better, directed my attention to a slew of holiday cake recipes to take my mind off the pain. :) Of course I asked her which one we would be making when I came home for the weekend. We very quickly settled on one called Chocolate Harvest Cake. Weird name if you ask me, but boy was it yummy. Quite amazing, actually.

It came together in a snap (especially when I wasn't the one doing all of the steps myself and the dishes magically ended up clean without me). I would make it again in a heartbeat. Or make just the cake in a 9 x 13 with another frosting. Or no frosting at all.

Oh, an I discovered the existence of powdered buttermilk. I imagine it keeps longer than the liquid stuff even though you have to keep it refrigerated.

Here's the recipe (the original of which can be found here):

Chocolate Harvest Cake
One-Bowl Cake:
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup water
2/3 cup cooking oil
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
Pumpkin Cream Filling:
1 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
Chocolate Glaze:
1/2 cup whipping cream
4 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
Cake Toppers:
Seedless red grapes, whole blackberries or raspberries, toasted hazelnuts, or shredded orange peel
Directions
1. PREPARE OVEN AND PANS: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two 9x 1-1/2-inch round baking pans; set aside.
2. COMBINE INGREDIENTS: In an extra-large bowl combine buttermilk, water, oil, sugar, eggs, baking soda, and salt. Using a large wire whisk, whisk until well combined. Add flour and cocoa powder; whisk vigorously until smooth. Divide batter between prepared pans.
3. DO THE TOUCH TEST: Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until top springs back when lightly touched in center. Cool in pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely.
4. PREPARE PUMPKIN CREAM FILLING: In a medium bowl whisk together cream cheese, pumpkin, sugar, and cinnamon until thickened. Place one cake layer on plate. Spread filling over top. Top with second cake layer.
5. MAKE CHOCOLATE GLAZE: In a saucepan bring whipping cream just to boiling over medium-high heat. Remove from heat. Add chocolate (do not stir). Let stand 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. Cool 15 minutes or until slightly thickened. Pour over cake, allowing glaze to drip down sides. Chill until set, about 30 minutes. Top with desired toppers. Makes 14 servings.