Chocolaty Harvest Fruit Topped Cake Recipes

CHOCOLATY HARVEST FRUIT-TOPPED CAKE

Steps:

• CAKE:.
• Preheat oven to 350°F Grease and flour two 9 x 1-1/2-inch round baking pans.
• In an extra-large bowl combine sour cream, water, oil, sugar, eggs, vanilla, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With a large wire whisk, whisk until well combined. Add flour, cocoa powder, black pepper, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and cloves; whisk vigorously until smooth. Divide batter between prepared pans.
• Bake 30 to 35 minutes until top springs back when lightly touched in center. Cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely.
• Finely chop chocolate. In saucepan over medium-high heat bring whipping cream to boiling. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate until smooth. Cool to room temperature; chill until a spreadable, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, prepare Harvest Fruit.
• To assemble, place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread with 1/2 of chocolate cream mixture. Top with the second layer. Arrange fruit in a single layer on top of cake. Pour caramel over top of fruit. Serve immediately. (Cake does not store well after fruit is added.) Makes 12 servings.
• HARVEST FRUIT:.
• Thinly slice pear lengthwise and apple horizontally. In medium saucepan combine apple juice and sugar; bring to boiling over medium-high heat.
• Add sliced fruit and dried cranberries; return to boiling. Reduce heat. Simmer, covered, 2 minutes.
• Remove from heat, let stand 5 minutes. Strain and discard liquid. Cool to room temperature.

CHOCOLATE HARVEST CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease (and flour) two 9"x1 1/2" round baking pans.
• Combine and whisk all cake ingredients BUT flour and cocoa powder.
• Add flour and cocoa powder and whisk until even.
• Spread evenly into the two pans.
• Bake for 30-35 minutes until top springs back or toothpick comes out clean.
• Let cool.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together Pumpkin Cream Filling ingredients. (Make sure cream cheese is soft enough so you don't end up with cream cheese chunks!).
• Spread Pumpkin Filling on top of one cake and top it with the other.
• Boil whipping cream over medium-high heat.
• Remove from heat and add chocolate, DO NOT stir.
• Wait 5 minutes until chocolate is melty, then stir until smooth and chocolate is liquid.
• Wait until glaze has thickened (10 minutes) and then pour over top of cake.
• Refrigerate cake or let set until glaze is fairly solid (15-30 min).
• OPTIONAL: top with seasonal berries or nuts.