This pumpkin chocolate chip cake is a moist pumpkin spice cake loaded with chocolate chips and topped with a light and fluffy cream cheese whipped cream. It's a quick and easy to throw together snack size cake that's perfect for a fall treat!
This pumpkin chocolate chip cake is a simple single layer cake that can be made in less than an hour. It's incredibly soft and fluffy with the perfect spiced pumpkin flavor.
If you're a pumpkin lover like me I'd highly suggest trying my chewy pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, pumpkin cinnamon rolls, or my brown butter pumpkin snickerdoodles.
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Why You Will Love This Cake
- Single Layer: A simple single layer cake that doesn't require much work.
- Pumpkin & Chocolate: The pumpkin spiced cake studded with chocolate chips is the perfect combo.
- Whipped Cream Frosting: I love this light and airy frosting because it's not overly sweet.
Ingredient Notes
Full ingredient measurements and instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
- Oil: I use coconut oil because I like the taste, but any neutral oil will work great. You can also sub in melted butter, but the cake will not be quite as moist.
- Sugars: I have used both granulated sugar and brown sugar in this recipe.
- Pumpkin Puree: Make sure you are using the puree and not pumpkin pie filling.
- Eggs: Allow your eggs to come to room temperature before starting to mix. If you need to rush this part just soak your eggs in room temperature water for about 10 minutes.
- Chocolate Chips: I used mini so there would be smaller bits dispersed throughout the whole cake.
- Heavy Cream: You will whip this until you have a whipped cream.
Step by Step Instructions
- Step 1: In a large bowl whisk together oil and sugar until mixed. Add eggs and pumpkin and mix all together.
- Step 2: Whisk in baking powder, baking soda, salt, pumpkin pie spice and flour. Fold in chocolate chips.
- Step 3: Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the edges are a golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Set aside and allow to cool before frosting.
- Step 4: In a small bowl mix ½ cup powdered sugar with 4 oz of cream cheese until completely smooth.
- Step 5: In a medium size bowl, whip heavy cream, vanilla and ⅓ cup powdered sugar together on high until stiff peaks form. Fold the two mixtures together until well blended.
- Step 6: Frost over the top of the cooled cake. Sprinkle with chocolate chip, shavings or a sprinkle of cinnamon.
Expert Baking Tips
- This cake is also great without a frosting. You could sprinkle the top with a cinnamon sugar topping for a little sugary top.
- You can also bake this cake in a 9x13 for a thin cake. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
- Cake will give best results with room temperature ingredients. Allow them to sit out before you begin.
- I have given both cups and grams as measurements. Grams will be more precise, especially when measuring flour. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, no problem! Just lightly spoon flour into your measuring cup to insure its not packed in there. Light and fluffy is the key.
FAQ
Yes, just sub in gluten free 1:1 flour where all-purpose is called for.
If you don't have pumpkin pie spice just add 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon cloves, ½ teaspoon ginger and ¼ teaspoon nutmeg.
Yes, but sometimes the texture of fresh is not as thick and so the cake batter might be slightly runnier.
Storing & Freezing
Store this pumpkin chocolate chip cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1-2 days to keep the whipping cream from falling. You can set it out for about an hour before to help it come to room temperature.
You can make the cake ahead of time and freeze in an airtight container. But I would not freeze the cake once you have topped it with the whipping cream topping.
Other Popular Recipes to Try
For more yummy treats follow me on instagram @thesaltedsweets. And be sure to tag me and comment if you make them and love them as much as I do!
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cake
Ingredients
Pumpkin Cake:
- ½ cup (118.29 ml) neutral oil coconut, avocado, canola
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (55 g) brown sugar
- 2 large eggs room temp
- 1 cup (245 g) pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) salt
- 1½ teaspoons (1.5 teaspoons) pumpkin pie spice
- 1 cups (140 g) all-purpose flour gluten free will work also
- ½ cup (90 g) chocolate chips I used mini
Chocolate Cream Cheese Whipped Cream
- 4 ounces (113.4 g) cream cheese room temp
- ½ cup (60 g) powdered sugar
- ¾ cup (177.44 ml) heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
- ⅓ cup (40 g) powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 F. Spray and line a 8x8 baking pan with cooking spray and parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl whisk together oil and sugar until mixed. Add eggs and pumpkin and mix all together.
- Whisk in baking powder, baking soda, salt, pumpkin pie spice and flour. Fold in chocolate chips.
- Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the edges are a golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Set aside and allow to cool before frosting.
- In a small bowl mix ½ cup powdered sugar with 4 oz of cream cheese until completely smooth.
- In a medium size bowl, whip heavy cream, vanilla and ⅓ cup powdered sugar together on high until stiff peaks form. Fold the two mixtures together until well blended.
- Frost over the top of the cooled cake. Sprinkle with chocolate chips, shavings or a sprinkle of cinnamon.
Sandy
Such a great fall dessert! Love the mini chocolate chips in there and the yummy topping! So delicious!!
Rachel
This cake is AMAZING!!! The frosting takes it over the top!! Soooo good. My family is having this on Thanksgiving this year!!
Sandy
Forgot to click the stars!!
Holli
Made this exactly the way it was posted on the same day it was posted and it turned out PERFECT! The cake is soft and fluffy and the frosting is to die for. Light and not too sweet. Make this. You won't regret it! Dreamy
Holli
I made this the same day it was posted exactly the way it was posted and it was PERFECT! The cake is a perfect texture and the frosting is to die for! Light and not too sweet. Make this now! You won't regret it. Dreamy
Andrea
I use your recipes all the time and have been for a couple years now, and this might be the BEST one yet. They are so moist and the cream cheese frosting on top made them just perfect!!! Another huge win by Brooke!
Katy
Make this cake. Seriously delicious. I left out the chocolate chips, I’m sure they would have been delicious, but the cake and frosting are amazing on their own. Thank you for another great recipe!