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Syrup Topped Orange Pumpkin Cake

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The quantities here will make two 7" (18cm) cakes. You can freeze one (before or after cooking) or halve the quantity if you wish. Serve as a dessert with a sweet white wine that has been conditioned to the right temperature or just as a cake for a Sunday afternoon tea. The cake is sweet, moist and has a delicate flavour. Butternut pumpkin is easily grown in the UK and this is just one of the many tasty dishes that it makes. Other types of pumpkin can be used but make sure that they are the denser, sweeter types.

 
Ingredients:
  • 1/2 a medium sized orange. The type and flavour of the orange will determine the overall flavour of the resulting cake. Don't use one that is old, too mild, strong or bitter.
  • 8 oz (250g) butter
  • 2 teaspoonsful (10ml) ground ginger (fresh!)
  • 1/2 teaspoon (3ml) ground cinnamon, same comments as for ginger!
  • 8 oz caster sugar
  • 3 eggs, separate the yolks from the whites
  • 1 cup of mashed pumpkin. (Dice the pumpkin and cook until tender, then mash). We use Butternut type as they have the most flavour.
  • 4 oz (125g) self raising white flour
  • 4 oz (125g) plain white flour
  • 1 teaspoon (5ml) bicarbonate of soda

For the Orange Topping:

  • 2 tablespoons (30ml) of the juice of the orange
  • 1/2 (3ml) teaspoon ground ginger
  • 8 oz (250g) white sugar

Shallow, 1" [25mm] deep, preferably non-stick, cake baking tins and a saucepan. Very lightly grease the dishes with butter, particularly if not non-stick.

 

Method:

Make the pumpkin mash in advance, ensure that it is creamy smooth with no lumps. Preheat the oven to 150C (300F). Fan ovens can be 10 degrees or so cooler based on experience of your oven.

Grate the rind from the half orange making sure that there is no pith in the result. Put the rind into a mixing bowl together with the butter, cinnamon, sugar and ginger. Beat the mixture until white and fluffy, then beat in the egg yolks. Gently mix and stir in the pumpkin mash. Sift the flours and the bicarbonate into a separate bowl, then fold these into the main mixture. Whisk the egg whites until they are stiff. Fold the whites gently into the main mixture, do not try to mix too vigorously. Spoon the mixture into the baking dishes and place in the pre-heated oven. Bake for 1 hour. Remove from oven but leave in the baking tin.

Now make the syrup topping. Put all the syrup ingredients into a saucepan and stir over a low heat until all the sugar is dissolved. Bring this mixture to a boil and simmer without stirring for two minutes, then remove from the heat and allow to settle.

Pour the resulting syrup over both cakes whilst still in the tins and allow to stand for 15 - 20 minutes before turning out.

If you have an interesting variation of this recipe.... send us the idea HERE.

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Updated 02/02/2005