Holiday Chocolate Pumpkin Torte

I found this recipe last year and never had a chance to try it, so it's on the list for this year! I'll let you know how it turns out, but it sure looks delicious and beautiful.

Holiday Chocolate Pumpkin Torte from Diana's Recipe Book

Ingredients for Torte:

2 2/3 cups all-pourpose flour 

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa 

1 tbsp. baking powder 

1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice 

3/4 tsp. baking soda 

3/4 tsp. salt 

3/4 tsp. ground cloves 

1 cup shortening 

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar 

1/4 cup light molasses, or Lyles golden Syrup 

4 eggs 

1 cup milk 

3/4 cup canned pumpkin 

1 tbsp. grated fresh ginger 

Ingredients for Filling and Frosting:

2 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened 

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened 

1 tbsp. vanilla extract 

8 cups sifted powdered sugar, divided in half 

2 tbsp. lemon juice 

Finely shredded orange peel (optional) 

A few fresh berries (optional) 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 C). Mix flour, cocoa, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, salt and cloves in bowl, set aside. Beat shortening in a large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds or until creamy. Add brown sugar and molasses; beat on medium speed until blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir milk, pumpkin and ginger in small bowl. Add dry ingredients and pumpkin mixture alternately to beaten mixture, beating on low speed after each addition until combined. Spoon batter into 2 greased and floured 8-inch by 2-inch round cake pans. Bake 22 to 28 minutes or until tooth-pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pans on wire racks; remove cakes from pans. Cool completely on wire racks. 

Beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla in large bowl on medium speed until smooth. Gradually add 4 cups of the powdered sugar and lemon juice, beating until combined. Beat in remaining powdered sugar until combined. If necessary, beat in additional powered sugar or lemon juice to make frosting of spreading consistency. Split each cake layer in half horizontally. Spread frosting between cake layers and on top of cake. If desired, top with finely shredded orange peel and a few fresh berries. Makes 16 servings.

Finally time to try this! And it turned out well, even as a mini, gluten-free version. I cut the cake ingredients in half, used honey instead of molasses, and swapped the milk and pumpkin amounts (1/2 cup pumpkin and 1/3 cup milk). I don't have 6" cake pans, but used a couple of 6" pyrex bowls and they worked. It was a great addition to our pile of pies for Thanksgiving!