A Yummy Halloween

For Halloween Josef and I had a barbeque with two other families in our ward that live in the same apartment complex as us. It was alot of fun. I made a Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Cake that was really yummy. I was really proud of myself, because even though I love to bake I don't have much opportunity to do it. And it was my first cake to make in a bunt pan; I was really nervous that it wouldn't come out of the pan, but it did. The cake was so good I thought I would share the recipe. I think the cake could stand to be a little more pumpkiny so when I make it again I think I might add more than the cup that it called for. Also I added a little more than tsp of pumpkin spice. After I added the spice I added a little more to taste, till I got just what I wanted.

Spicy Pumpkin Cake with Chocolate Chunks

Cake:
1 pkg. (2-layer size) spice cake mix
1/2 pkg. (4 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 tsp. Pumpkin Spice
6 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate, coarsely chopped (I used a bag of chocolate chunks instead)
Sauce:
1/2 cup half and half
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract (my sauce turned out a little too vanilla tasting, so maybe added slightly less than this)

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Prepare cake mix as directed on package, reducing water to 1/2 cup and increasing oil to 1/2 cup. Add cream cheese, the pumpkin, and pumpkin spice. Beat on medium speed until well blended. Stir in chopped chocolate. Pour into greased and lightly floured 12-cup fluted tube pan or 10-inch tube pan.
BAKE 40 to 45 min. or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 min. Remove from pan; cool completely on wire rack.
COOK half and half, sugar, and butter in heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly until mixture coats spoon and sugar is completely disolved. It may take a while. Remove from heat, and add vanilla. Serve warm over cake ( I added it to each individual slice so that the entire cake wouldn't get soggy).

Servings: 16