Pumpkin Cake

A weeknight-easy pumpkin cake that uses canned pumpkin pie filling instead of plain puree, which means the warm spice blend (cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg) is already mixed in. Less measuring, more mixing, and the spice level always lands right.

The combination of pumpkin and chocolate chips is a fall classic for good reason. The slight bitterness of semisweet chocolate balances the sweet, earthy pumpkin so neither dominates. Six ounces gives enough chips to have one in nearly every bite without making this taste like a chocolate cake with pumpkin notes.

A full hour and ten minutes is a long bake for any cake, but bundt and tube pans need it because the dense batter has to set all the way through to the center column. Pulling early gives a gummy core; pushing past 70 minutes risks dry edges.

Pro Tips

• Use pumpkin pie filling (sweetened, spiced) as the recipe specifies, not plain pumpkin puree. They are not interchangeable here. Plain puree leaves the cake bland.
• Toss the chocolate chips in a tablespoon of flour before adding to keep them suspended throughout the cake instead of sinking to the bottom.
• Grease and flour the bundt pan thoroughly. Pumpkin batter is sticky, and chocolate chips love to weld themselves to crevices.
• Test for doneness with a toothpick at 65 minutes. If it comes out wet, add 5-minute increments. Different pans bake at different speeds.
• Cool 15 minutes in the pan, then invert. Inverting too soon causes the cake to break; too late and it sticks.

Variations

• Dust with powdered sugar after cooling, or drizzle with cream cheese glaze for a more dessert-like finish.
• Add ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts for crunch and Southern-style flair.
• Use butterscotch chips in place of chocolate for a different fall flavor pairing.