The vanilla batter is divided into two portions: one is flavored with pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice while unsweetened cocoa and milk are mixed to the other. I wasn't sure if there was enough batter to bake the cake in a traditional 8.5" x 4.5" loaf pan so I ended up using a 3" x 9.5" pan I bought at my local Daiso (for those that aren't familiar it's like a Japanese Target!) many years ago. Even with the smaller pan there was a little bit of overflow when the cake was baking so next time I'll take some of the batter and make 1-2 cupcakes. If you don't have a smaller loaf pan then I would just use the normal size you already have.
Rather than topping the cake with chocolate buttercream I made a really easy and quick ganache using heavy cream and bittersweet chocolate chips. There couldn't be a simpler glaze to make, plus I love the look of the ganache dripping down the sides of the loaf. One slice of the cake and I was totally converted. The pumpkin and chocolate flavors shine through individually but complement each other wonderfully. I will definitely be making this cake again.
