Chocolate Pumpkin Cake/Cupcakes

Ingredients:
2½ cups AP flour
2 Tbsp AP flour
1 cups good-quality cocoa
2 Tbsp good-quality cocoa
1 Tbsp baking powder
1½ Tbsp baking soda
2¼ tsp ground cinnamon
¾ tsp fresh-grated nutmeg
¾ cups buttermilk
1½ cup pumpkin purée
1½ tsp vanilla extract
2¼ sticks unsalted butter, softened
1½ cup (firmly packed) dark brown sugar
1½ cup granulated sugar
5 large eggs

Method:

1. Prepare cake pans: Heat oven to 180°C. Lightly butter three 8-inch cake pans and fit each bottom with an 8-inch circle of parchment paper. Lightly butter the parchment paper. Set aside.
2. Make the batter: Sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl and set aside. Combine the buttermilk, pumpkin, and vanilla in a medium bowl and set aside. Beat the butter and sugar together in a large bowl, with an electric mixer set on medium speed, until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, until the mixture is smooth and light. Alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture, blending well after each addition.
3. Bake the cake: Divide the batter among the pans and bake until a wooden skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean -- about 35 mins. Cool the cakes in the pan for 20 mins. Remove cakes and cool. (For cupcakes: Heat oven to 190°C. Place cupcake liners in standard cupcake tins and fill each with ¼ cup of batter. Bake for 22 mins.)
4. Assemble the cake: Trim each of the layers. Place one layer on a cake plate and top with one third of the frosting. Repeat with the second and third layers. (To ensure that the cake layers do not shift, cut three skewers to ¼" shorter than the full height of the cake and insert them before icing the top layer.) Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:
1 package (8-oz) cream cheese, softened
¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 Tbsp fresh orange juice
1 tsp grated orange zest
½ tsp pure vanilla extract
4 cups confectioners' sugar
¼ tsp orange food coloring

Method:

1. Blend the cream cheese, butter, orange juice, orange zest, and vanilla in a large bowl, using an electric mixer set at medium speed, until smooth.
2. Add the sugar and continue to beat until light and creamy -- about 3 more minutes.
3. Add the food coloring and gently stir until the color is uniform.
4. Chill the frosting until ready to ice the cupcakes or cake.