Des

Hey! I'm Des!

Welcome to Life’s Ambrosia where Dinner is served and memories are made. Here you will find over 1000 tried and true recipes for every possible occasion. In the last 10 years, this blog has helped millions of families put dinner on the table and create food memories. Let me help you too.

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Chocolate Pumpkin Sprinkle Cake

Today is a special day, friends. Today is the day that Life’s Ambrosia turns 6! Can you believe it? And what a better way to celebrate such a special occasion then with a cake with a bajillion sprinkles on it?

OK…Maybe not a bajillion, but it’s close.

When I planned to make this cake, I planned to put sprinkles on it, because nothing says LET’S CELEBRATE like sprinkles. Am I right!?

What I didn’t plan on was getting chocolate crumbs in my pretty white frosting resulting in me covering the entire cake in sprinkles. But, while I was covering the cake in sprinkles at 10pm on a Friday night (because that is when you decorate cakes when you have a toddler and 4 month old) and saw how pretty it was turning out to be, I was very happy that those little chocolate crumbs had a mind of their own.

Speaking of chocolate crumbs. These chocolate crumbs are down right delicious. Yes, I used pumpkin again, but only for the moistness factor. This does not taste like a pumpkin cake. And like the Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies, it totally worked. It worked so well, in fact, it might just be the only way I make chocolate cake from now on.

In addition to making this delectably moist chocolate cake to celebrate, I also wanted to say thank you to all of you that read this blog. Thank you for making the recipes. Thank you for letting me know how they turn out. Thank you because your readership allows me and encourages me to continue to explore this passion for food I have. And as another way to say thank you, I’m giving away a box of my favorite things to one lucky winner.

Like last year, this box includes things that you’d find in my kitchen. Things that I love. Things that I would send to every one of you if I could, but alas, until I win the biggest jackpot in the history of jackpots, there can only be one winner. The one winner does win some pretty schanzy prizes though if I do say so myself. Check it out:

This year’s Favorite Things Box includes:

1. A Signed Copy of The Flavor Bible – When I attended the International Food Bloggers Conference last month I actually got to meet Karen and Andrew and they signed a copy specifically for me to give away in this box. If I could give one to every single one of you I would, you NEED this in your kitchen.

2. A 2 ounce package Market Spice Spaghetti Seasoning Mix – Spaghetti is my favorite meal, probably ever. This is a mix from a spice store in Pike Place Market. I use it all the time, not just spaghetti but pizza sauce as well as dressings and marinades.

3. Jar of Maille Rich Country Dijon – This stuff is gold for sandwiches as well as vinaigrettes.

4. Jar of Maille Honey Dijon with Balsamic Vinegar of Modena – This is the stuff that I used to make my Crispy Chicken Thighs with Honey Dijon Balsamic Pan sauce. It works for that…or you can eat it with a spoon. Your choice :)

5. A 6 ounce jar San Juan Island Sea Salt – This is my favorite finishing salt. Just a simple sprinkle on tomatoes or fresh french fries…SWOON.

6. $50 gift card to Sur La Table – One of my favorite stores to buy all kinds of kitchen gadgets.

7. KitchenAid 3.5 Cup Food Processor – I adore having a big food processor but I use my smaller one more. It’s easier to clean, and works great for small jobs like sauces, pesto and even hummus.

There you have it, friends! Just leave a comment below telling me your all-time favorite food. It can be a snack, meal, dessert or whatever you can’t get enough of. Me: I can eat spaghetti every single day and never get sick of it.

The Deets: The jars of Maille Rich Country Dijon and Honey Dijon with Balsamic Vinegar of Modena were graciously donated by Maille. The KitchenAid 3.5 Cup Food Processor was graciously donated by KitchenAid. Due to shipping this giveaway is open to US residents only. The giveaway ends at 12AM EST 10/16/2014. Winner picked at random.

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Chocolate Pumpkin Sprinkle Cake

A delectably moist chocolate cake with rich buttercream frosting and about a bajillion sprinkles.
Prep Time 30 mins
Cook Time 45 mins
Total Time 1 hr 15 mins
Course Desserts
Cuisine American
Servings 8 Servings

Ingredients
  

Chocolate Pumpkin Cake Ingredients:

  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 cup boiling water
  • 3 1/2 - 4 ounces sprinkles

Buttercream Frosting Ingredients:

  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 5 - 5 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour 2 (9 inch) cake pans.
  • In a bowl of a stand mixer or bowl with a hand mixer cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl in between. Beat in the vanilla. Turn off mixer.
  • In a bowl combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add mixture to the mixer. Turn mixer on to medium speed and beat for 3 minutes. Beat in pumpkin. Turn mixer to medium-low and pour in hot water. Mix 1 minute.
  • Pour cake batter evenly into prepared cake pans. Bake in preheated oven for 35 - 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes. Gently remove cakes from pan and place on cooling rack to cool completely.
  • While the cake is cooling make the frosting by creaming together butter and 5 cups powdered sugar until fluffy. Beat in milk, vanilla and 1/4 teaspoon salt until the mixture becomes thick and spreadable. If frosting is too thin add remaining 1/2 cup powdered sugar. Adjust salt if necessary.
  • Place one of the cakes bottom side up on a cake stand. Spread a third of the frosting evenly on the top. Place the other cake, top side up, on top of the frosting. Frost the cake with remaining frosting, using smooth strokes.
  • Sprinkle sprinkles on the top of the cake until covered. To cover the sides, place sprinkles in the palm of your hand and gently press into the sides of the cake. Repeat until all the sides are covered. Slice and serve.

Notes

Enjoy!
Tried this recipe?Mention @lifesambrosia or tag #lifesambrosia!
Keywords: blogiversary, cake, dessert, giveaway, pumpkin

Leave a Comment

Recipe Rating




  • Reply
    Adriana
    October 15, 2014 at 9:13 pm

    Chocolate chip cookies!!

  • Reply
    Haydee R de A
    October 15, 2014 at 4:11 pm

    Spaghetti and meatballs is my favorite meal :-)

  • Reply
    Robyn
    October 15, 2014 at 3:26 pm

    My favorite food is pizza with pepperoni and pineapple. Lived it since I was a kid. Happy blogiversary!

  • Reply
    Chelsea Meza
    October 15, 2014 at 11:10 am

    Cheese enchiladas are my favorite comfort food for sure.

  • Reply
    Nicia
    October 15, 2014 at 11:09 am

    Enchiladas. I could eat them every day I think. I wish they weren’t so time consuming. I have a toddler and an infant too!

  • Reply
    Heather
    October 15, 2014 at 3:35 am

    Curries. Mostly Indian. Butter chicken is my favorite with homemade naan. Obviously I only do this occasionally because wow….time commitment! But oh….sitting down with both….gah!

  • Reply
    Bethany
    October 15, 2014 at 1:31 am

    Pizza is definitely my favorite comfort food!

  • Reply
    Lala
    October 14, 2014 at 7:47 pm

    I eat with the intention to nourish the body along with the soul. With that premise, all that I eat I appreciate. However, I will never forget the first time I ate ‘Mantu’. It is an Afghan dish prepared for special guests.

  • Reply
    Gabrielle
    October 14, 2014 at 10:11 am

    Everything!!! but I love soups of any kind… especially Italian Wedding Soup.

  • Reply
    Amanda Iseger
    October 13, 2014 at 9:48 pm

    I could eat Italian food every day. breakfast, lunch, and dinner!

  • Reply
    Brittany
    October 13, 2014 at 9:33 pm

    All things Mexican! The cheesier, the better!

  • Reply
    Angie Ryan Tyner
    October 13, 2014 at 10:45 am

    My favorite comfort food is my mom’s roast beef.

  • Reply
    Erinn S
    October 13, 2014 at 5:13 am

    Corn chowder with sausage cheddar muffins! The perfect winter meal

  • Reply
    Jessica Seal
    October 12, 2014 at 10:02 pm

    One of my favorite comfort foods is Spaghetti with meat sauce and warm garlicky bread.

  • Reply
    Susan Hatstat
    October 12, 2014 at 5:45 pm

    Grilled cheese and tomato soup!

  • Reply
    Jamie E.
    October 12, 2014 at 5:41 pm

    Chocolate cake with chocolate frosting…but anything chocolate will do.

  • Reply
    Megan
    October 12, 2014 at 3:57 pm

    Such a pretty cake!

  • Reply
    CrazyforCrust
    October 12, 2014 at 3:27 pm

    Happy 6th!! What an amazing accomplishment. And I love the cake!

  • Reply
    Dave
    October 12, 2014 at 2:58 pm

    Baked mac and cheese, hands down

  • Reply
    Fionna B.
    October 12, 2014 at 12:54 pm

    ……Favorite comfort food…..Cookies, specifically Any type of pudding cookie.

  • Reply
    Donna J
    October 12, 2014 at 9:03 am

    Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate. Best comfort food is yummy chocolate cake and a great cup of good coffee! Havin’ this cake today!

  • Reply
    Karen M
    October 12, 2014 at 7:36 am

    My favorite comfort food has to be pork roast, add mashed potatoes and gravy and beans….swoon!!

  • Reply
    Deeli
    October 12, 2014 at 3:23 am

    Happy Ambrosia Birthday, Des! My favorite comfort food is Pasta Alla Checca! :-)

  • Reply
    MaryB
    October 11, 2014 at 10:18 pm

    Mashed potatoes or Mac and cheese are my comfort foods.

  • Reply
    Susan Foulds
    October 11, 2014 at 9:33 pm

    My favorite comfort food is Latvian Bean Soup. My mother was a Latvian war refugee and this soup was her go to recipe if anyone was feeling under the weather. It has a wonderful colllection of vegetables, white beans and a super good home made broth base. I am salivating thinking about it.

  • Reply
    karenboblett
    October 11, 2014 at 8:29 pm

    Any kind of homemade soup is a comfort food to me.

  • Reply
    Lynda Clark
    October 11, 2014 at 6:49 pm

    Whenever we feel under the weather, I make a big pot of Greek style lentil soup and some crusty bread slathered with lots of real butter, now that is comfort food in our family.

  • Reply
    Sherry
    October 11, 2014 at 5:59 pm

    Wow, everything to love in this box.

  • Reply
    Carol Anne
    October 11, 2014 at 5:51 pm

    A good donair without lettuce…why do restaurants do that??? It is not traditional to have it with lettuce! Lots of sauce, onions and tomatoes are the key! I’d like one right now!

  • Reply
    Mallory
    October 11, 2014 at 5:50 pm

    Potato soup is my ultimate comfort food!

  • Reply
    Leslie
    October 11, 2014 at 5:26 pm

    Freshly baked, still warm cookies and cold milk.

  • Reply
    Yvette N.
    October 11, 2014 at 5:25 pm

    My favorite comfort food is any kind of homemade soup

  • Reply
    Tiffany
    October 11, 2014 at 5:24 pm

    I second spaghetti! Especially million dollar spaghetti. Oh. My.

  • Reply
    Deborah Ward Haseltine
    October 11, 2014 at 5:20 pm

    Pasta…of any sort. I do like traditional sauces…cheese, spaghetti, alfredo…but, am always open to new ideas!

  • Reply
    Kristy
    October 11, 2014 at 5:13 pm

    Huckleberries! In muffins, cookies, pie, waffles, ice cream. Other than eating berries as I pick them, my all time favorite and most requested huckleberry dish is huckleberry cheesecake. Happy 6th anniversary!

  • Reply
    Edie Gershman
    October 11, 2014 at 4:57 pm

    It’d have to be macaroni and cheese or beef stew. I find the process of making them comforting too. Happy 6th birthday!

  • Reply
    Margaret
    October 10, 2014 at 9:52 pm

    I love chicken noodle soup with homemade bread!

  • Reply
    karen
    October 10, 2014 at 8:25 pm

    My favorite comfort food is split pea soup! It’s what I make when it’s cold and rainy.

  • Reply
    Mary
    October 10, 2014 at 12:40 am

    My favorite comfort food is ICE CREAM which I could eat all day every day!!!

  • Reply
    Stephen B
    October 9, 2014 at 11:58 pm

    Duh…your salt and pepper chicken wings! Happy 6th B-day!!!

  • Reply
    Karla Maynard
    October 9, 2014 at 8:02 pm

    Looooove spaghetti and cookies are my thing too!!!

    • Reply
      Donna J
      October 12, 2014 at 9:00 am

      Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate! Best cake. Enjoying with family today. How comforting!

  • Reply
    Patricia R.
    October 9, 2014 at 11:07 am

    Shortbread in any form…

  • Reply
    Marissa Gioglio Vanhoose
    October 9, 2014 at 9:50 am

    Anything jalapeno…especially poppers. Baked or fried and melty cheese! Yep, sign me up for that.

  • Reply
    Megan Gordon
    October 9, 2014 at 7:57 am

    Fried chicken. Really good fried chicken!

  • Reply
    Tracie
    October 9, 2014 at 7:49 am

    Mexican Food…anything covered in Salsa!

  • Reply
    Rachel
    October 9, 2014 at 7:42 am

    All things Mexican – fajitas, guacamole, queso, I love it all! Happy 6 years!!

  • Reply
    Tina
    October 9, 2014 at 6:21 am

    French fries!

  • Reply
    judy robinson
    October 9, 2014 at 3:36 am

    Chocolate cake!

  • Reply
    Trish
    October 9, 2014 at 2:38 am

    Mashed potatoes and cream gravy.

  • Reply
    Holly Zorn
    October 8, 2014 at 7:48 pm

    Great Recipe, Great giveaway!! My favorite comfort food is Pepper steak! Yum.

  • Reply
    Heather W
    October 8, 2014 at 5:06 pm

    Happy blogiversary! My fave has to be mac n cheese. All day every day.

  • Reply
    What's Gaby Cooking
    October 8, 2014 at 12:11 pm

    woot woot!! congratulations

  • Reply
    Andrea Lindeman
    October 8, 2014 at 12:02 pm

    Chili and cornbread!

  • Reply
    Alyson
    October 8, 2014 at 11:13 am

    Congrats Des! What a huge accomplishment and I’m so excited that you got turn your passion into a career! Being Italian, I love a good pasta but I think my moms home made meat loaf tops the list of favorite comfort food

  • Reply
    Ginger Stark
    October 8, 2014 at 10:56 am

    Congratulations! I’ve followed your blog since before you had kids, and your trustworthy and delicious recipes are appreciated. Your Steak and Jalapeno Chili is in regular rotation at our house :)

  • Reply
    Jessica
    October 8, 2014 at 9:48 am

    My favorite comfort food like yours is yummy Spaghetti!

  • Reply
    Jocelyn
    October 8, 2014 at 8:45 am

    Congratulations and happy blog birthday!!! That is so fun to celebrate!!! And I love this fun sprinkle covered cake!!!! My favorite comfort food is anything pasta! Love the stuff!!!!!

  • Reply
    Danielle
    October 8, 2014 at 8:02 am

    Anything my mom makes! But I’d go with Chicken and Dumplings!

  • Reply
    Maria R
    October 8, 2014 at 7:50 am

    Happy Blog Anniversary! Your shrimp tacos with the cilantro lime sour cream is my absolute favorite recipe! But for comfort food, I will have to go with my mom’s cheesy mashed potatoes!!

  • Reply
    Tricia McAvoy
    October 8, 2014 at 6:53 am

    Chicken pot pie….

  • Reply
    Becky Gall Hardin
    October 8, 2014 at 6:48 am

    This is so cute!! Cant go wrong with sprinkles! YUM!

  • Reply
    Mandy Bird
    October 8, 2014 at 6:18 am

    Yum! I love all the sprinkles!

  • Reply
    Pamela Joy
    October 8, 2014 at 6:06 am

    My favorite food! I love a good salad and I know that sounds weird , but a good one, apple, cranberry, pecans, mixed greens, a little grilled chicken or fish on top and some great dressing on the side , one of my favorites is a maple vinaigrette , I love this !!

  • Reply
    Emmy W
    October 8, 2014 at 6:02 am

    My favourite food is Mac and Cheese. We make it with 4 types of cheese and often swap macaroni for tagliatelle! It is so luscious and silky. It’s proper comfort food :-)

  • Reply
    Michele Benoit Cowley
    October 8, 2014 at 4:30 am

    Happy, happy birthday! It’s hard to choose just ONE comfort food, but today my favorite would be pot roast with potatoes, carrots, and onions!

  • Reply
    Stephanie
    October 8, 2014 at 2:54 am

    Happy SIX YEARS!!!! That cake looks so, so, so
    perfect! My favorite comfort food goes way back to when I was a
    kid…enchiladas

  • Reply
    Sarah @ Snixy Kitchen
    October 8, 2014 at 12:45 am

    Holy moly! I LOVE all the sprinkles on this cake – the ONLY way to celebrate. Happy 6 years! My favorite comfort food is mac & cheese – I could eat that stuff every single day (but luckily logic tells me that’s not such a great idea…)

  • Des

    Hey! I'm Des!

    Welcome to Life’s Ambrosia where Dinner is served and memories are made. Here you will find over 1000 tried and true recipes for every possible occasion. In the last 10 years, this blog has helped millions of families put dinner on the table and create food memories. Let me help you too.

    Read more »

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