Pumpkin

I'm BLACK I grew up in a BLACK house where my mom did not make ANYTHING pumpkin as I was growing up, holiday time meant sweet potatoes black peoples version of pumpkin but as I got older I started exploring the pumpkin realm and I like it! But I always buy it out, well being the Domestic Diva that I am I think it's time to create my own pumpkin recipe in my own home. I'm gonna start with the following recipe that I got from www.food.com BUT of course I will be tweaking it. I'll be baking it in layers not a fluted tube pan, I'll be omiting the pecans and I'll be topping it with cream cheese frosting.


Ingredients:

1.      3/4 cup butter, softened
2.      1 1/2 cups sugar
3.      1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
4.       2 large eggs
5.      1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6.        2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
7.       1 teaspoon baking powder
8.        1 teaspoon baking soda
9.        1 teaspoon cinnamon
10.        1 (15 ounce) can solid-pack pumpkin
11.      1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
12.      3/4 cup pecans, finely chopped, divided

Directions

In a large mixing bowl cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon; add to the creamed mixture alternately with pumpkin. Fold in chocolate chips.

Divide batter in half. Stir melted to chocolate inot one portion. In a well greased 10" fluted tube pan, sprinkle 1/2 cup pecans. Spoon chocolate batter over pecans; top with pumpkin batter. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup pecans.

Bake at 325 for 65-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes before removing from pan to wire rack.