Pumpkin Cake with a Chocolate Ganache

I'll start off this post by apologizing for not having step by step pictures for this one. This was a last minute cake that I whipped up before a dinner with the missionaries. It was heavenly, and devoured almost immediately (hence there only being half of a cake to photograph).
   This recipe is for Carla Hall's Pumpkin Chocolate Cake. I was inspired when I watched her make it on The Chew, and the other hosts raved about it and said it was their favorite thing that she's ever made. I just had to try it out for myself.
   It's a pumpkin cake, with a pumpkin marscapone "moose" and and chocolate ganache with crumbled ginger cookies on top. Delicious!  I stayed true to the recipe, except I reduced the amount of sugar in both the filling and the cake (the recipe shown reflects my changes). The cake does have a few steps, but none of them are difficult. It's actually really easy to put together.
   We all loved it so much that I'm debating making it again for an upcoming Christmas Party. Try it out and let me know what you think!

We ate it so fast, the chocolate didn't even have time to set up. It dripped down the half eaten cake. Mmmm. Excuse me while I wipe my drool.

It's still such a pretty cake - even half eaten. ;)

Here's the recipe:

Carla Hall's Pumpkin Chocolate Cake (with reduced sugar)

*Start straining the pumpkin puree for the filling before you do anything else!

• For the Pumpkin Cake:
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 4 large eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups pumpkin puree

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour 2 9 inch round cake pans. Combine sugar, vegetable oil, and eggs in a large mixing bowl and mix well. Whisk dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Stir the dry into the wet ingredients until just combined. Fold in the pumpkin puree.
Divide the batter between the two prepared cake pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Rotate pans half way through cooking. When a toothpick comes out clean, the cakes are done. Let cool for 5 minutes and then turn cakes out onto cooling racks.

• For the Mascarpone Filling:
• 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin spice
• 2 cups mascarpone
• 1 cup pumpkin puree (*strained of excess liquid)
• 1 3/4 teaspoons salt

 Beat the mascarpone and the pumpkin puree until blended, and then add the pumpkin spice, salt and powdered sugar. Mix at a high speed until blended, about 1 minute. Once it's fully combined add the vanilla and beat for another 30 seconds.

 Once the cakes have cooled completely, cut through each cake horizontally with a serrated knife (there will now be four round of cake to work with). Spread the filling evenly between the layers (3).

• For the Dark Chocolate Ganache:
• 3 tablespoons corn syrup
• 6 ounces heavy cream
• 12 ounces dark chocolate (chopped into small bits) *I used chocolate chips
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ginger snaps (crushed for garnish) 

 Make the ganache in a small saucepan. Combine the corn syrup and heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Add the chocolate. Stir until smooth. Remove from the heat and add the vanilla extract.
 Pour over the cake. Garnish with crushed ginger snaps.