Pumpkin cake

DARING DUO: Pumpkin and chocolate make a unique pairing in moist cake iced with sour cream-laced ganache. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

 

Total time: 1 hour, 10 minutes, plus cooling time for the cake

Servings: 12 to 16

Note: The ganache recipe is adapted from "The Cake Bible" by Rose Levy Beranbaum. For the ganache, a less bitter, lower percentage chocolate will best complement the cake (preferably 60% to 65%).

Cake

2 1/2 cups cake flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon cloves

1 teaspoon ground ginger

3/4 teaspoon salt

4 eggs, lightly beaten

1/4 cup sour cream

1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar

3/4 cup safflower or canola oil

2 cups pumpkin purée

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 2 (9-inch) springform pans.

2. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger and salt.