Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Snack Cake w/ Cream Cheese Frosting

It’s not fall without some sort of pumpkin dessert full of chocolate chips. Am I right? And there are so many delicious options…pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, pumpkin chocolate bread, pumpkin chocolate chip muffins. And so on. To me, it’s just not fall without this specific, super delightful combo.

 I’m making sure it really feels like fall in my home with this:

PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP SNACK CAKE W/ CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

It’s totally working, by the way.

This cake is so easy to make and is insanely dense and moist, thanks to the oil and applesauce in the batter.

My favorite part are the little bits of chocolate, studded throughout the cake. I like this cake served cold, and one of the reasons is that chilling it hardens up those mini chocolate chips, making such a nice textural contrast with the the soft cake.

The cream cheese on top turns this cake into it’s very best version of itself. It’s silky smooth, a little tangy, and is the perfect topping for pumpkin and chocolate chips.

My kids LOVE this cake and ask for it at every meal and snack. And if it’s a snack cake, I’m thinking that obviously it could be eaten several times a day for such purposes. I kind of love oil-based cakes because they are easier to throw together without a trip to the store. I always have oil in my pantry where butter is a little more hit and miss(mostly because I use it too quickly to ever keep it around for long). And oil based cakes have such a great texture anyway. Always moist, and the applesauce in this recipe ups that quality while lowering the fat just a touch.

Have a look at these other Pumpkin treats:

Gingerbread Cookie Cups with Pumpkin Mousse & Cider Caramel

Browned Butter Caramel Pumpkin Spice Mini Bundt Cakes

Cinnamon Caramel Pumpkin Cheesecake Shortbread Crumble Bars

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Snack Cake w/ Cream Cheese Frosting

 

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This cake is best served cold(in my opinion), so make it ahead of time(even a day is fine) and let it chill before serving.

Serves: 1 9x13" Cake, or about 16-20 slices

Ingredients

• 3 C. All-purpose Flour(spooned into measuring cup and leveled with knife)
• 2 t, Baking Powder
• 2 t. Baking Soda
• ½ t. Salt
• 1 T. Pumpkin Pie Spice
• ½ C. Brown Sugar
• 1½ C. Sugar
• 1 C. Vegetable oil
• ½ C Applesauce
• 2 t. Vanilla
• 2 C. Pumpkin Puree
• 4 Eggs
• 6 oz.(about a half bag) Mini Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips
• FOR THE FROSTING:
• 8 oz.(1 pkg) Cream Cheese, softened
• 4 oz.(1/2 stick) Butter, softened
• 2 C. Powdered Sugar
• 1 t. Vanilla

Instructions

1. FOR THE CAKE:
2. Grease and flour a 9x13" baking dish. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside.
4. In another medium mixing bowl, whisk the brown sugar, sugar, and vegetable oil together until well combined. Add the applesauce, vanilla, and pumpkin puree and mix until smooth and fully combined. Add the eggs and whisk until combined.
5. Pour the liquid ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients and whisk until just combined. Add the mini chocolate chips and fold into the mixture with a rubber spatula, evenly distributing.
6. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake in preheated oven for 40-45 minutes. Cake is done when the top center is firm and no longer jiggles when lightly nudged.
7. Let cool on the counter for at least and hour, then cover and refrigerate. When cold, frost with cream cheese frosting.
8. FOR THE FROSTING:
9. Place the softened cream cheese and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat together until smooth with a paddle attachment.
10. Add the powdered sugar and beat in on low speed until mixed in.
11. Add vanilla and beat in until incorporated. Up the speed to medium and beat until the mixture is very smooth, scraping down the sides once through the mixing.
12. Spread over cooled pumpkin cake.
13. Keep refrigerated. Best served cold.

3.2.2925

Cake recipe lightly adapted from Our Best Bites