Chocolate Harvest Cake- The recipe

Here it is, for all those who have waited so patiently!

Chocolate Harvest Cake
Better Homes & Gardens Magazine, November 2006

One-Bowl Cake:
1 cup buttermilk (I used fat-free)
1 cup water
2/3 cup cooking oil (I used canola oil and added 4 teaspoons extra to replace the egg yolks)
2 cups sugar (I used just a tad less)
2 eggs (I used 2 egg whites)
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup un-sweetened cocoa powder (I used Droste)

Pumpkin Cream Filling:
1 8 Oz. package cream cheese, softened (I used neufchatel-which has 1/3 less fat)
1/3 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon (I used a little more)

Chocolate Glaze:
1/2 cup whipping cream ( I used light cream, but wouldn't recommend it. It came out too thin and I had to thicken it)
4 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped (I used semisweet morsels)

Cake Toppers:
Seedless red grapes,
whole blackberries or raspberries,
toasted hazelnuts, or shredded orange peel
(I used red grapes, toasted walnuts and sliced almonds and candied orange peel

Prepare the oven and pans. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9 x 1 1/2 inch round baking pans; set aside.

Combine ingredients. In an extra large bowl combine buttermilk, water, oil, sugar, eggs, baking soda, and slt. Using a large wire whisk, shisk until well combined. Add flour and cocoa powder; whisk vigorously until smooth. Divide batter between prpared pans.

Do the touch test. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until top spring back when lightly touched in center. Cool in pans on a wite racck for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely.

Prepare Pumkin cream filling. In a medium bowl whisk together cream cheese, pumpkin, sugar and cinnamon until thickened. Place one cale layer on plate. Spread filling over top. Top with second cake layer.

Make the chocolate glaze. in a saucpan bring wipping cream just to boiling over medium-high heat. Remove from heat. Add chocolate (do not stir). Let stand 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. Cool 15 minutes or until slightly thickened. Pour over cake, allowing glaze to drip down sides. Chill until set, about 30 minutes. Top with desired toppers. Makes 14 servings.

Each slice: 431 cal, 23 g fat (8 g saturated), 60 mg chol, 254 mg sodium, 53 g carbs, 1 g fiber, 6 g pro, Daily Values: 26% vit. A, 1% vit. C, 10% calcium, 11% iron.