An excerpt from Happy Belly: The Cake Book. 

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Pumpkin-pie spice . . . need I say more? Autumn seems to be a favourite time of year for a lot of people, for many reasons—the beautiful colours, the smells in the air, and of course the spices.

Baking with spices is always sensational. The amazing aromas that fill the house and the delicious treats that ensue are enough to convince me it’s the best time of year.

This cake will surely get you in the mood for fall. Moist chocolate cake, filled with a pumpkin-pie pudding and smothered in a pumpkin-pie spice buttercream and mini slices of pumpkin pie.

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1 batch of Chocolate Cake batter, divided evenly into three 8” gooped pans and baked

1 batch of American Buttercream plus 2 Tbsp Pumpkin-Pie Spice (page 187)

For a latte taste, add 1½ tsp dissolved espresso powder.

½ cup Simple Syrup plus 3 to 4 Tbsp of bourbon or your favourite Canadian whisky (optional)

For a latte taste, replace the bourbon with 2 tsp dissolved espresso powder.

1 batch Pumpkin-Pie Pudding

Pumpkin pie (store-bought or homemade; I use the E.D. Smith recipe), cut into mini slices

1 batch of Caramel Sauce, for decoration

Pumpkin-Pie Pudding

1 can (15 oz) pure pumpkin purée

1 can (15 oz) of evaporated milk

1 large box (5.1 oz) instant vanilla pudding

1 Tbsp Pumpkin-Pie Spice

⅛ tsp salt

Place all ingredients in a bowl and whisk until smooth. 
Set in the refrigerator to chill for a couple of hours.

Pumpkin-Pie Spice

You will need 

3 Tbsp ground cinnamon, 2 tsp ground ginger, 

2 tsp ground nutmeg, 1½ tsp ground allspice, 1½ tsp ground cloves.

Place all spices in a bowl and mix well. Keep in an airtight container.

NOTE: Double or triple this and throw the extra in the cupboard.

Cake Assembly

1.         Level the cakes.

2.         Spread a small amount of buttercream onto the cake plate so the first layer of cake sticks to it.

3.         Layer the cake as follows:

• cake—soaked in syrup
• buttercream, piped into a dam around the edge
• half of the pudding, filled in the centre
• cake—soaked in syrup
• buttercream, piped into a dam around the edge  
• half of the pudding, filled in the centre
• cake—soaked in syrup

4.         Place in the refrigerator for 15 to 20 minutes to set before crumb-coating. This will help stabilize 
the cake and set the buttercream so the layers don’t slide apart while finishing.

5.         Crumb-coat the cake with a thin layer of buttercream and place back in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes.

6.         Remove from the refrigerator and add the final layer of buttercream, reserving some for the next step. Frost with a smooth finish and carve a diagonal line pattern.

7.         Place the remaining buttercream in a piping bag with a 1M piping tip and pipe rosettes around the top edge of the cake.

8.         Place a mini slice of pumpkin pie in the middle of every other rosette.

9.         Drizzle the top with caramel sauce.

Cupcake Assembly

1.         Brush tops of cupcakes with syrup.

2.         Core each cupcake using an apple corer.

3.         Place the pudding in a piping bag with no tip, and fill the cupcake.

4.         Place the buttercream in a piping bag with a 1M piping tip, and pipe a rosette on top of each cupcake.

5.         Place a mini slice of pumpkin pie in the middle of the rosette.

6.         Drizzle the top with caramel sauce.

Excerpt from Happy Belly: The Cake Book, copyright © 2022 by Aaron McInnis Reprinted with permission of Breakwater Books Ltd.

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Learn more about Happy Belly: The Cake Book: 

A fun, non-traditional approach to baking cakes and treats from the creator of Man versus Cake.

Happy Belly: The Cake Book is a collection of recipes from internationally recognized blogger, nutritionist, and pastry chef Aaron McInnis. This book is filled with tips, tricks, and secrets to successful cake making from the owner of Happy Belly Cakery and the online learning space Man versus Cake. As a firm believer that a great base recipe is all you need to be successful, Chef Aaron guides you on a journey through cakes and cupcakes, from popular candy bars and classic flavour pairings to holiday treats, unconventional flavours, and more.