Pumpkin Spice Walnut Chocolate Bundt

Perfectly moist and decadent on its own, but can be dressed to impress with a scoop of ice cream and some caramel drizzle.  Pumpkin Spice Walnut Chocolate Bundt cake is a big cake and it’s perfect for sharing!

There’s really nothing to be said about this Pumpkin Spice Walnut Chocolate Bundt; why you ask? Look at the pictures.  Now, tell me that you’re not drooling; tell me that the pictures are not calling to you; tell me that I’m rambling and I should just get on with it!

There are not many things in this world that tempt me as much as a big slice of cake. To be honest, I rarely make a cake, because I don’t have any self-control over it. I will eat just way too much of it and then I feel guilty about it. This cake, particularly, I make only once a year! Once it’s gone, it’s gone!

THERE’S NOTHING WRONG WITH STORE-BOUGHT!

Pumpkin becomes my life in the fall of the year. I really can’t get enough of it.  One day, I promise, I’m going to buy whole pumpkins from a local farmer’s market and make my own version of a pumpkin puree.

Don’t get me wrong, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with taking a shortcut and using the store-bought canned variety, but sometimes (just sometimes!) as a food blogger, I feel guilty about using store-bought products.

It’s almost like I’m cheating, or taking the easy way out.  But, if I applied that same rationale to everything I prepare for this blog, my recipe count would be very low!  Store-bought it is for now, then!

After all, Dear Reader, some things, like pumpkin puree, are not easy to make in terms of the time commitment and the room it would take to can it all for safekeeping.  I can lots, but our little apartment kitchen prevents me from canning large amounts of produce.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED FOR THIS RECIPE

The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.

DRY INGREDIENTS

• Sugar – Sugar will caramelize when baked, which will help to brown cookies and cakes.  In cookies, the sugar will help the dough to spread and will create a crispness to the bottom of the cookie.
• Flour – No need for anything special. Just use regular all-purpose flour. I have not tried this recipe with any other type of flour.
• Salt
• Baking Powder and Baking Soda
• Pumpkin Spice – This is a blend of ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves.  Depending on the brand, allspice is sometimes absent, but I think the flavour is better with it. Here’s my favourite blend!
• Chocolate Chips – I use chocolate chips a lot in my recipes, and I change up the type depending on how I feel.  Unless the recipe states otherwise, you can use milk, semi-sweet, or dark chips. Since this cake is already sweet, I would not recommend milk chocolate chips. 
• Walnuts – Walnuts have a mild, buttery flavour which is why they are perfect for cookies and cakes.  When they are baked, they soften slightly, which makes them easier to slice through too, so they won’t ruin those perfect slices of cake!
• Confectioner’s Sugar – This superfine sugar is sometimes called powdered sugar.  It’s used in frostings quite often.  When dusted lightly onto cakes and cookies, it adds just a touch of sweetness, but more importantly, it looks very visually appealing!

WET INGREDIENTS

• Eggs – Whenever you set out to bake, make sure your eggs are at room temperature too – just like your butter!
• Pumpkin Puree – Most of us buy this in a can, but you can make it yourself.  It is peeled and cooked pumpkin that has been pureed without the addition of any other ingredients.
• Apple Sauce – This is a very common ingredient in baking.  Not only does it add flavour, but it keeps baked goods very soft and moist too. 

HOW TO MAKE A PUMPKIN SPICE WALNUT CHOCOLATE BUNDT CAKE

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat your bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray and dust with a little flour. Be sure to shake out the excess flour. Set the pan aside. Use a big bundt pan; this recipe makes a large cake. Using a hand-held mixer, cream together the sugar and apple sauce. Next, add the eggs one at a time and incorporate them well into the mixture between each addition. Add the pumpkin puree and blend well into the sugar and apple sauce mixture. Set aside.

Sift together the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and pumpkin spice. On low speed, slowly incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until blended together, then stir in the chocolate and the walnuts. Spoon the batter into your bundt pan, and smooth out the top. Tap the pan firmly onto your countertop to settle the batter into the nooks and crannies of the bundt pan.

Bake the cake for 60 minutes. Check for doneness using the toothpick method and bake for a few minutes longer if the toothpick does not come out clean. Remove the cake from the oven, and let it cool for 15-20 minutes. Once cooled, turn out onto a cooling rack and allow to fully cool for at least 90 minutes at room temperature. Before serving, dust the cake with the confectioner’s sugar.

ADD INS ARE GREAT!

When I made this cake, it was supposed to originally be just a Pumpkin Spice Bundt, but I couldn’t resist adding in the chocolate and the walnuts. The chocolate brings this Pumpkin Spice Walnut Chocolate Bundt Cake to life, really.  The pumpkin spice flavours are still strong, but that chocolate adds a special something.

And, even though I will go on record and state that when it comes to desserts and snacks, I much prefer salty food over sweet foods.  That’s why I added the walnuts.  I used salted walnuts and I also used semi-sweet chocolate, but you can milk chocolate and unsalted walnuts.

WALNUTS BAKE VERY WELL

In contrast to the sweetness of the chocolate, the salted walnuts not only add a little bit of crunch, and that familiar, old-fashioned, woodsy walnut taste, but the saltiness is absolute perfection.

In my opinion, no other nut bakes so well into a cake as a walnut.  There’s just something homey and inviting about walnuts in a baked item.  What is that?  Is it just me?  I get that same comforting feeling with baked goods that have pecans.

USE THE RIGHT SIZE PAN

As you can see, this recipe makes a really big Pumpkin Spice Walnut Chocolate Bundt.  I have a few bundt pans, but when I make this cake, I always use the biggest one I have.  It’s a flat-bottomed bundt cake pan, which resembles and small pound cake pan

If you only have smaller bundt cake pans, I would split this batter between two pans.  The last thing you want is for the cake to rise up over the edge of the pan and be wasted at the bottom of your oven.  This cake is too good for such an unfortunate mishap!

When it comes to serving this Pumpkin Spice Walnut Chocolate Bundt, you have two choices.  First, you can leave it just like it is.  It’s high, it’s light and fluffy, it’s extremely moist, and everyone will love it.  If I were serving it as is, I’d simply dust the top with a bit of powdered sugar.

The second option is to go all in.  Just like in these pictures, go ahead and add a big scoop of ice cream.  You can go the vanilla route, or you can find seasonal ice cream.  I’m using Pumpkin Caramel Swirl in the photos.

DRIZZLE IT AND SERVE IT UP!

Then, to make the Pumpkin Spice Walnut Chocolate Bundt even more irresistible, I drizzled over a little bit of salted caramel.  I bought a jar of sea salt caramel the last time I was at Trader Joe’s.  It was perfect for this cake!

Okay, Dear Reader, let’s get to this bundt recipe before fall turns to winter and you’re all pumpkin’d out.  Like that could ever happen!  By the way, you can find the recipe for the pumpkin spice blend that I use in all of my baking right here.