Pumpkin Cake Truffles

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Delicious spiced pumpkin cake and frosting dipped in chocolate and drizzled with candy melts.

I don’t think there’s a better time of year to make orange colored foods then October.  Halloween is quickly approaching and the cool fall air has been inspiring me to make quite a few pumpkin baked goods.

Every month I have a behavioral reward party for my students at school.  Each month has it’s own theme and this month’s theme was fall foods.  Since I had the party and the special All Things Orange event I knew I was going to be baking up an orange pumpkin dessert for the kids.  I knew the kids wouldn’t be into a regular pumpkin bread or cake but I thought they might enjoy pumpkin if it was chocolate dipped.

It turned out I was right!  I made pumpkin cake truffles dipped in chocolate and the kids loved them.  The hard chocolate outside covers a silky smooth pumpkin interior.

The adults enjoyed this treat as well.  They aren’t hard to make but they were time consuming because of dipping each pumpkin ball into the chocolate and then drizzling a complimentary colored chocolate on top.  These would be great at a Halloween party or even for Thanksgiving.

Pumpkin Cake Truffles (adapted from Made in Mel’s Kitchen)
For the cake:
1 c. flour
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
2 t. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 c. brown sugar, packed
1/2 c. sugar
1 stick butter, melted
2 large eggs
1 t. vanilla
1 c. pumpkin puree

For the truffles:
1 c. vanilla frosting
1 c. orange chocolate melts
1 c. milk chocolate melt
1/2 c. butterscotch chips

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 9 x 13 cake pan with cooking spray.

2.  In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice.

3.  In a large bowl combine the melted butter, brown sugar, and white sugar.  Mix well.  Add in the eggs and vanilla.  Mix until combined.

4.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until smooth.  Fold in the pumpkin puree.

5.  Spread the batter into the pan.  Bake for 20-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Place on a wire rack to cool.

6.  Once the cake has cooled crumble it into a bowl.  Stir in the icing and mix until a ball begins to form.

7.  Shape the cake mixture into 1 inch balls and place on a cookie sheet.  Place the cookie sheet in the freezer for 15 minutes.

8.  Meanwhile, melt the milk chocolate in the microwave in 30 second intervals until it is just melted.  Remove the cake balls from the freezer and dip them into the chocolate one at a time.  Tap the side of the bowl to remove excess chocolate and set on waxed paper to harden.  Dip half of the cake balls in the milk chocolate.

9.  Melt the orange chocolate in the microwave in 30 seconds intervals until it is just melted.  Repeat the above step with the remaining cake balls.

10.  Once the chocolate has harden melt the butterscotch chips and place in a zip top baggie.  Cut off the edge and drizzle the butterscotch over half the orange cake balls and half the milk chocolate cake balls.  Repeat with the orange chocolate, drizzling over top of the remaining milk chocolate cake balls and then drizzling the remaining milk chocolate over top of the remaining orange chocolate cake balls.

11.  Store in an air tight container for up to 5 days.  If the chocolate seems to be getting soft refrigerate for 15 minutes before serving.