Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Layer Cake with Chocolate Cream Cheese Icing

Every year, I try to bring something a little fun and different to Thanksgiving, and this year I’m rolling in with a Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Layer Cake—yes, cake. It’s rich, cozy, a little dramatic, and honestly, one of my favorite fall desserts I’ve made in a long time. And since my Thanksgiving responsibilities this year include baked mac ’n cheese, broccoli casserole, this cake, and a variety of cookies (because apparently I’m always assigned to the carbs-and-desserts department), I wanted something that looked impressive but didn’t make me lose my mind the day before Thanksgiving.

We’re heading over to my brother’s house, and my sister-in-law is basically my hosting hero. Yes, I’m a chef—but she’s the one who somehow pulls off full-on holiday magic without breaking a sweat. She’s always jingling around this time of year (literally… she wears something festive every single holiday), roasting a turkey, juggling five sides (plus homemade rolls), a buffet of sweet treats, decorating the table, setting the perfect playlist, and floating through the kitchen like she runs the North Pole. Meanwhile, I’m just trying to keep my oven mitts from catching on fire. So showing up with a gorgeous cake feels like my tiny contribution to her holiday hosting empire.

Why This Cake Works (Especially for Thanksgiving)

Pumpkin and chocolate might sound like an odd couple, but trust me—they’re soulmates.

• The pumpkin spice brings that warm, nostalgic fall flavor.

• The cocoa adds depth and balances the sweetness.

• And the chocolate cream cheese icing? I could eat it with a spoon.

It’s moist (yes, I said it), rich, and the kind of dessert people ask for seconds of even when they’ve already sworn they “can’t eat another bite.”

Perfect for Last-Minute Thanksgiving Baking

If you’re making this today—same. The beauty of this cake is that it’s totally make-ahead friendly. Bake the layers, wrap them up, ice them tomorrow morning, and boom: your dessert is done, and your kitchen only kind of looks like a baking tornado hit it.

The Vibe of This Cake

Basically:

• Part cozy fall hug

• Part chocolate-lover’s dream

• Part “Wow, you really made that?”

• 100% worth it

I can’t wait to walk into my brother’s house carrying this little masterpiece like it’s a newborn child and let my sister-in-law work her hosting magic around it.

If you’re looking for something new to add to your dessert table—or just want a cake that tastes like fall and happiness—give this one a try. It might just become part of your Thanksgiving traditions too.

For the Cake

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour*

1/2 cup unsweetened dark cocoa

1 cup granulated sugar

2/3 cup light brown sugar

1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

15 oz. can pumpkin

1 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium size mixing bowl or standing mixer, combine flour, cocoa, sugars, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, whisk together. Add pumpkin, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla. Beat at medium speed with electric mixer for about one minute, until smooth. Coat three 8 inch round cake pans with cooking spray, spoon batter evenly between pans. Place pans in oven to bake for about 25-30 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out with just a couple of crumbs. Remove pans from oven, set on cooling racks for 10 minutes before turning cakes out of pans onto cooling racks to cool completely.

*Since all of my homemade cakes these days are gluten-free, I like to use either a gluten-free all-purpose flour, or oat flour.

For the Chocolate Cream Cheese Icing

16 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 lb. unsalted butter, softened

5 cups powdered sugar

1 cup unsweetened cocoa

2 tbsp. vanilla

In a medium size mixing bowl or standing mixer, combine cream cheese and butter. Beat with electric mixer at high speed for 3 minutes, until creamy. Add powdered sugar, cocoa, and vanilla, continue mixing for another 3-4 minutes until smooth and creamy. Decorate cake as desired when layers are cooled completely, store in refrigerator for 4-5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

For the Chocolate Ganache

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup heavy cream

Dump chocolate chips in a small mixing bowl. Heat heavy cream in a microwave safe dish for 45-60 seconds, or just until bubbling hot. Pour over chocolate chips in bowl, let sit for about 30 seconds before whisking vigorously until chocolate is melted and smooth. Spread on top of cake, and drizzle down the sides.