Pumpkin Swirl Cake with Chocolate Halva Streusel

Yields 1 loaf

Total Time1 45

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cake

Servings: 12

Author: Christine Ma

Ingredients

Chocolate halva streusel

4 ounces chocolate halva
½ cup all-purpose flour (63 grams)
¼ cup butter, melted (57 grams)
3 tablespoons brown sugar (37 grams)
pinch of salt

Filling

4 ounces cream cheese softened at room temperature
¼ cup granulated sugar (50 grams)
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Pumpkin swirl cake

1 cup pumpkin puree (8 ounces)
2 large eggs
¼ cup olive oil (50 ml)
¼ cup applesauce (64 grams)
1 cup granulated sugar (200 grams)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (219 grams)
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground ginger

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9x5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray.
Make the chocolate halva streusel. Chop the chocolate halva into small chunks. Combine the halva with flour, melted butter, brown sugar, and a pinch of salt. Set aside.
Prepare the filling. Beat together the cream cheese with sugar and cinnamon until well combined. Set aside.
Make the pumpkin cake. Beat together pumpkin puree with eggs, oil, applesauce, sugar, and vanilla until well combined.
Combine the flour with baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix just until combined. Pour half of the cake batter into the prepared loaf pan. Pour dollops of the cream cheese filling on top and swirl around the cream cheese with a knife into the batter. Add the remaining cake batter on top and sprinkle the chocolate halva streusel on top.
Bake the pumpkin swirl cake for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack. Slice and serve.

Notes

You can prepare the streusel the day before.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Make streusel

I have been wanting to incorporate halva into a dessert for the longest time now. I discovered this confection during the summer and have been brainstorming a way to tie it to a dessert. Lo and behold, I was able to find chocolate halva and thought it was perfect for a streusel.

Halva refers to a type of Middle Eastern candy. For this recipe, I used a sesame-based halva that was coated in chocolate. If you have never had halva before, it has a mild nutty flavor and soft, crumbly texture. I can honestly say I never had anything else like it. Its subtle flavors make it perfect for incorporating into desserts, complementing other flavors rather than fighting with them.

To make the pumpkin swirl cake with chocolate halva streusel, first make the streusel. I always use melted butter for my streusel toppings because I find that it's easier to mix all of the ingredients. Whenever I use cold butter, it doesn't mix as well with the other ingredients, and I'll get inconsistent textures.

Chop up the chocolate halva into small chunks, then combine it with the remaining ingredients. Set it aside while you prepare the cake batter.

Step 2: Prepare cake batter

For the cake batter, beat together the wet ingredients, including the pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, vanilla, and applesauce, with the sugar.

Combine the dry ingredients, then add them to the wet mixture, mixing just until combined. Pour half of the cake batter into a greased 9x5-inch loaf pan.

Feel free to line the loaf pan with parchment paper that hangs over the sides for easy removal.

Place dollops of the cinnamon sugar cream cheese on the pumpkin cake batter and swirl it around with a knife. You don't want to fully mix the cream cheese with the cake batter; just spread it around.

Step 3: Bake

Pour the remaining cake batter on top and sprinkle the streusel on top in an even layer. It's going to look like too much streusel, but trust me, there's no such thing as too much streusel.

Bake the pumpkin swirl cake with chocolate halva streusel for about 1 hour and 10 minutes at 350 degrees F.

This loaf will continue to rise all the way to the top as it bakes, so if you're worried about it spilling over, you can place a baking sheet on the bottom rack of the oven. That way, it'll catch any spills.

To test if your cake is ready, insert a toothpick in the center. The cake should be done when the toothpick comes out clean.

Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool completely before serving.

You can enjoy this cake at room temperature or warm. I tried to resist and eat only one slice at a time, but boy, this pumpkin cake sure is delicious! Not overly sweet with a beautiful crunch, it's a delicious fall treat.

Make-ahead and storage

Make-ahead: You can make the streusel and cream cheese filling the day before. Let the cream cheese filling soften at room temperature before using.
Store: Store covered at room temperature for 2-3 days or refrigerate for up to a week. You can also freeze slices wrapped individually for up to 3 months.

Frequently asked questions

What can I use instead of applesauce?

You can substitute with an equal amount of Greek yogurt, sour cream, or additional oil. The applesauce helps keep the cake moist while reducing overall fat content.

Can I use fresh pumpkin instead of canned pumpkin puree?

Yes, but you'll need to roast and puree fresh pumpkin first. Make sure to drain excess moisture from homemade puree by letting it sit in a fine-mesh strainer for 30 minutes before using.

How do I know when the cake is done?

Insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. It should come out with just a few moist crumbs attached, not wet batter. The baking time can vary from 60 to 75 minutes, depending on your oven.