The Chocolate Diva Shares in Time for Thanksgiving!

This month Joleen Allis, our chocolate diva is sharing a cool receipe that you can serve in addition to (or instead of) pumpkin pie.  Warning...reading does not add calories to your daily intake!!!

Also, Joleen's prize for the November drawing is Dove Chocolate Discoveries White Chocolate, Pear Flavored Cider!  How's that for a seasonal treat to YOU!  Don't forget, all it takes to enter is comment to any or all posts during November.  The more you comment, the more chances to win!

Chocolate Pumpkin Dessert Cake –

Forget the turkey – this is all you will need for Thanksgiving…

Ingredients

• 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 cup butter
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1/3 cup applesauce
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions

1.     Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9 inch Bundt pan.

2.     In a medium bowl, mix the flour, cocoa powder, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder and baking soda. In a large bowl, beat together 3/4 cup butter, 2 cups sugar, applesauce, and eggs. Mix in 1/2 cup heavy cream and pumpkin. Stir into the flour mixture just until blended. Spread evenly in the prepared pan.

3.     Bake 40 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan over a wire rack. Invert cake onto a serving plate.

4.     Place the brown sugar, 1/2 cup butter, and 1/3 cup heavy cream in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil while stirring to blend until smooth. Cook until sugar is dissolved. Whisk in the confectioner's sugar, and drizzle over the cake immediately.