Chocolate Pumpkin Cake with Chocolate Pumpkin Cream

We all have our secrets... some of them more torrid than others! My latest dirty secret; the Australian Bachelor series! Firstly, what a hottie! I'm sure he has a wonderful personality, but so far all we've seen are his 6 pack (more like a slab!) and shiny white smile. But it's more than just an opportunity for a married women to have a legitimate perv; it's the drama, the romance and the cringe worthy awkward moments that make it my dirty secret!

This cake has a hidden secret too. It's moist, mud cake like consistency isn't from chocolate or sugar... it's good old fashioned Pumpkin. Roasted puréed pumpkin, combined with unsweetened apple sauce, give this cake a moist beautiful consistency. Whilst it does contain a lot of pumpkin it doesn't overpower the chocolate flavour, and the addition of pumpkin in the chocolate cream gives it a hint of flavour and a thicker texture. It's a magical, married womans, low calorie indulgence. 

Notes;

Roasting the pumpkin is a much better alternative to boiling. 

Boiling the pumpkin leaves it soggy and too wet; which will make the cake far too moist and unstable.

I haven't tried it yet but I'm sure roasted sweet potato could be substituted. 

CHOCOLATE CAKE (WITH HIDDEN PUMPKIN) AND CHOCOLATE PUMPKIN CREAM

(Serves 16, 126 calories per slice)

Cake

INGREDIENTS

2/3 cup Cocont Flour

1/2 cup Cocoa, unsweetened

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

380 grams roasted Butternut pumpkin (measured after roasting) (to roast pumpkin place diced pieces in moderate oven for approximately 45 minutes)

1/2 cup unsweetened Apple Sauce (see recipe below)

4 eggs, seperated

3/4 cup Maple Syrup

3 teaspoons Vanilla Extract

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 175C/350F

Grease and line a 20 cm/8 inch cake tin

Sift Cocont flour, cocoa and baking powder together 3 times. Add salt.

Place 360 grams of roasted pumpkin and apple sauce in a blender and puree. It should be a smooth consistency. (remainder of roasted pumpkin used for cream)

Place egg whites into a bowl of a stand mixer with whisk attachment.

Whisk egg whites on high until medium peaks form (approximately 3-4 minutes).

Add maple syrup 1 tablespoon at a time, continuing to whisk on high.

Add vanilla extract. Whisk til combined.

Add egg yolks 1 at a time, whisking on high, until all combined.

The mixture should be large and fluffy.

Add puréed mixture and whisk on medium for 2-3 minutes.

Fold thru sifted dry ingredients in 3 lots. 

The mixture will be quite thick.

Pour mixture into cake tin, making sure to level off the top.

Cook for 45 minutes, or until cook through.

Cool in tin for a least 30 minutes before removing.

Chocolate Pumpkin Cream

INGREDIENTS

1 cup of canned coconut cream, tin opened and placed in fridge overnight (minimum 2 hours)

1 tablespoon pumpkin purée 

2 tablespoons cocoa, unsweetened

1 tablespoon maple syrup (additional if desired when tasting)

1 teaspoon vanilla 

INSTRUCTIONS

Remove can from fridge. Discard watery component and retain thickened cream. Measure 1 cup.

Place cream in bowl of stand mixer with a whisk attachment.

Whisk on high until thick.

Add all other ingredients and whisk until combined.

Spread over top of cooled cake, or pipe into patterns.

Keep refridgerated (due to cream).

Apple Sauce

INGREDIENTS

4 apples, peeled and cut into small pieces

3/4 cup water

INSTRUCTIONS

Place apples and water in saucepan. Cover with lid.

Bring to boil, then simmer for 7-10 minutes, or until apple is soft.

Store in fridge.