By Melissa Clark
- Total Time
- 1 hour, plus cooling
- Rating
- 4(1,439)
- Notes
- Read community notes
With a texture that falls somewhere between pudding and ganache, this bittersweet torte is silky smooth and very rich. The whipped cream topping, run through with spiced pumpkin purée, is a fluffy contrast to the torte’s denseness. You can make the torte two days ahead. Store it, well wrapped, in the refrigerator, then let it come to room temperature before serving.
Featured in: Even the Littlest Helping Hands Can Make Thanksgiving
or to save this recipe.
Print Options
Include recipe photo
Advertisem*nt
Ingredients
Yield:10 to 12 servings
- ¾cup/170 grams unsalted butter (1½ sticks), plus more for greasing the pan
- 1¼cups/275 grams dark brown sugar
- ½cup/45 grams unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch-process
- ½teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½cup/120 milliliters pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 2large eggs, at room temperature
- ¾cup/95 grams all-purpose flour
- 1cup/240 milliliters heavy cream
- 4tablespoons/30 grams confectioners’ sugar
- ⅓cup/80 milliliters pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon
For the Torte
For the Pumpkin Cream
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (12 servings)
324 calories; 20 grams fat; 12 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 35 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 26 grams sugars; 3 grams protein; 126 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered by
Preparation
Step
1
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Butter an 8-inch springform pan.
Step
2
Place a small saucepan over medium-low heat, then add butter. Let heat, stirring with a spoon once or twice, until butter melts. Turn off the heat.
Step
3
In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, cocoa and salt. Pour melted butter into the cocoa mixture and whisk until smooth. Let mixture cool until lukewarm, about 5 to 10 minutes.
Step
4
Whisk pumpkin purée into the cooled cocoa mixture, then whisk in the eggs, one at a time. Whisk in flour until smooth and silky looking.
Step
5
Pour the batter into prepared pan, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Bake until the top of the cake is firm and doesn’t wiggle if you shake the pan, 30 to 40 minutes. Using oven mitts, transfer pan to a wire rack to cool completely, at least 2 hours.
Step
6
Make the cream: In a large mixing bowl using electric beaters or an electric mixer fitted with the whisk, beat the cream and 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar until thick and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Store whipped cream in the fridge for up to 6 hours if not using immediately.
Step
7
Just before serving, in a small bowl, vigorously whisk the remaining 3 tablespoons/25 grams confectioners’ sugar, pumpkin and vanilla until the mixture is smooth and no white lumps of sugar remain, about 1 minute. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the pumpkin mixture into the whipped cream until very streaky.
Step
8
Run a small offset metal spatula or butter knife around the inner edges of the cake pan, then release the sides of the cake pan and remove them. Place the torte, still on the bottom of the pan, onto a platter. Dollop the pumpkin-streaked whipped cream on top and sprinkle lightly with pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon.
Ratings
4
out of 5
1,439
user ratings
Your rating
or to rate this recipe.
Have you cooked this?
or to mark this recipe as cooked.
Private Notes
Leave a Private Note on this recipe and see it here.
Cooking Notes
Dan
I'd like to make this as individual cupcakes - fun anytime, and a more "socially distanced" dessert for this unique holiday season. Any suggestions as to how to tweak the recipes - in particular, bake time and temp?
Peggy C.
I recommend either King Arthur All-Purpose GF Flour or Authentic Foods' Multiblend GF flour (especially the latter). I've been baking GF for 16 years and these are the most reliable and the tastiest we've been able to find, and we've tried everything! Generally one needs to add 1/2 tsp xanthan gum per 1 cup GF flour blend.
potato gratin w/gruyere & rosemary
1 1/2 to 2lbs Yukon gold potatoes 1 1/2 to 2lbs sweet potatoes Butter for baking dish 2 1/2 cups shredded gruyere cheese ( 10oz)1 1/2TBsp minced fresh rosemary Kosher salt, pepper 1 cup heavy cream1-2 cloves garlic minced Preheat oven 450• Peel thinly sliced potatoes & sweet potatoes. Butter 9x13 3-4 qt baking dish. Set aside 1/2 cup of cheese Alternate layers of sweet potatoes & potatoes, sprinkle each layer with some cheese, rosemary, salt & pepper Combine cream & minced garlic.
Lauren G.
Lovely! Rich and decadent without being fussy. Pumpkin isn't overwhelming. Made it mostly as written but added a smidge of Vietnamese cinnamon in with chocolate. Also couldn't find my springform, so baked the torte in an ordinary round pan with a parchment cutout lining the bottom. After torte cooled I was able to flip it, peel off parchment, and right it onto a platter easily.Be careful to whip the cream into quite stiff peaks, as folding in pumpkin mixture after will make it runnier.
foodperson
This copy/paste error has me curious now. Can you post the rest of the recipe?
sujatha92
This sounds delicious and it’s on my list for the week.Curious & truly asking — is there a reason recipes instruct to melt the butter on the stovetop, then pour into another bowl? I don’t see it specified that I am browning the butter here (which can only be done on the stove). So it seems easier to use that same mixing bowl to microwave the butter to save a step and a pan. Is something else happening to the butter here (water evaporation?) that makes stovetop melting preferred?
foodperson
Never mind, found it. Complete recipe here:https://parade.com/1118194/alison-ashton/potato-gratin-with-gruyere-and-fresh-rosemary-recipe/
Meg D
This is no joke one of the best desserts I have ever made. Right up there with the chocolate tres leches cake. Amaaaazing texture and flavor, not too sweet despite all the confectioners sugar.
Maxine Godfrey
I'd like to make this in my large muffin pan, with any extra batter in my small muffin pan. I figure that buttering the sides and bottom plus sprinkling finely chopped nuts-of-your-choice all over would help the muffins release from the trays. Filling them 2/3-3/4 full is probably best, and baking according to the non-wiggle test, checking at ~20-25 minutes.I'm not a professional baker but I've been baking 50 years and I trust my intuition pretty much.
Dakotah
This was absolutely delicious! If you’re a pumpkin lover then you need to make this, and soon. The only change I made was using 3tbsp of confectioners sugar for the whipped cream instead of four so the sweetness wasn’t overpowering.
Maggie Lewis
Pumpkin pie filling has pumpkin purée and spices traditionally found in pumpkin pie: cloves, cinnamon, allspice and/or nutmeg. It’s good to use if you don’t have all the spices. It may also be sweetened. Plain pumpkin purée has only pumpkin.
Sara
I added 4oz of Neufchâtel (that lower-cal cream cheese alternative they place next to the real thing) to the frosting because my cream was not whipping well. Regular cream cheese would be fine too. Added a wonderful sour note to the frosting which went wonderfully with the thickness of the chocolate and the earthiness of the pumpkin.
GeneralDarden
For approx how long?
Upstater69
GLUTEN FREE/GRAIN FREE TORTE: used 1 cup of Bob’s Red Mill SUPERFINE Almond flour in place of the all purpose flour. Also added scant 1/2 tsp baking powder & baking soda (might leave these out next time). Reduced brown sugar to 1 cup. Not like pudding or ganache noted in description but wonderful, rich flavor and texture. Also may reduce the Almond flour to 3/4 next time to see it it comes out closer to pudding or ganache....maybe add another egg?
diva
Forgot that i wanted to make this and used up all my pumpkin puree on the pumpkin soup and the pumpkin pie so I used unsweetened applesauce. Came out fine. This recipe would also be fantastic doubled and baked in two round cake pans. then put raspberry jam in between the two layers and top with a dollop of the whipped cream (which could be minus the pumpkin) when serving.
Sill
Couldn't get the sugar/cocoa/butter mixture smooth, but it got smooth once other ingredients were added. Used 9" springform and cooked at 25 minutes. Whipped all ingredients together and added 2oz softened cream cheese. Reaction from folks was generally: It is good, interesting flavor, worth eating, and not great. Not bad at all, but flavor mix was a little off for me and will probably not make again.
StTerri
I make this as a cake without topping. It's delicious, moist and easy.
Jody
This totally doesn't need to be made in a springform pan. I used an 8-inch nonstick cake pan, buttered, and then with parchment on the bottom. Most springform pans are not as small as 8 inches (at least, mine wasn't). I also added about 1.5 tsp espresso powder to the dry ingredients. Deepened the chocolate flavor. Outstanding and easy.
Michelle
Has anyone tried to freeze this? Seems like it would nicely. Made several times and love.
Sarah
Was good, but not great. I might make again. But, I don’t feel compelled to.
SS
Used bobs red mill whole wheat pastry flour 1:1 and baked for 28 min in 9 inch spring form. Cake was super low and flat but delicious with the pumpkin whipped cream. As others noted, just throw all topping ingredients into stand mixer. Halved all sugar quantities
joseph
Why does the brown sugar/cocoa and melted butter always get super grainy when I mix them together ?
Ashley & Nicole
Did anyone else have issues while mixing the dry ingredients with the melted butter? When I began whisking, the solid ingredients became clumpy and the butter did not integrate. Not sure what happened…help!
Sophie
It will get smooth again when you add the pumpkin!
Anita
This is perfectly good - but the pumpkin is overwhelmed by the chocolate.
Amirissa
The end product was very dry inside: without the topping, it wouldn’t be worth it. I will give benefit of the doubt and say try checking it prior to 30 minutes. By then, mine was completely set. Maybe if I had pulled it out when it was just set the inside texture would be different.
Upstater69
GLUTEN FREE / GRAIN FREE option update: I made this a year ago and after reviewing my notes made the following adjustments: Reduced brown sugar to 1 cup; 2 eggs PLUS 1 egg yolk; 3/4 cup Bobs Red Mill SUPERFINE blanched almond four (instead of flour), 1/4 tsp baking soda. Delicious! More fudge-like consistency, rave reviews at our small Thanksgiving gathering this year.
JM
Used whole wheat pastry flour and this was delicious!
Mmkperez
We made this for Thanksgiving and it came out wonderful! Used an 8 inch round pan with parchment cut out for the bottom. It was a very dense and beautiful dessert!
Deb
Can you make everything but the cream topping a day before and refrigerate it? Thanksgiving morning is too busy…..
FrenchyT
I am under strict orders to limit salt intake. Why is it necessary to put salt into sweet desserts like this?
Maggie
Because it makes them taste better.
Private notes are only visible to you.
