Pumpkin Macadamia Cake with Lime Frosting

Ingredients and equipment

  • Cake tins: 2 sponge tins, 9 inches in diameter
  • 300g self raising flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 450g (1lb) Muscovado or light brown sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 325g sunflower oil
  • 125g grated pumpkin
  • 150g macadamia nuts, chopped
  • A level teaspoon each of cinnamon and allspice
  • Pinch of salt
  •  
  • Lime Frosting:
  • 150g butter
  • 300g Philadelphia cream cheese
  • 150g icing sugar
  • 1 lime

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180C (350F, Gas mark 4). Lightly oil the cake tins and line each one with a disc of parchment paper.
  2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, spices and salt. Beat together the sugar and oil until smooth.
  3. Separate 2 of the eggs. Beat the other 2 whole eggs plus the 2 egg yolks into the sugar and oil mixture. Fold in the grated pumpkin, the nuts and the flour. Whisk the egg whites until stiff and fold into the mixture.
  4. Divide the mixture between the 2 cake tins and bake in the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour until firm to the touch. Allow to cool a little then turn them out onto a cooling rack. Peel the zest from the lime with a potato peeler and cut into fine strips. Set aside.
  5. Beat together the butter and cream cheese, and slowly work in the sifted icing sugar.
  6. Add the juice of half the lime. Sandwich together the 2 cakes with some of the icing sugar and place it on your chosen serving dish.
  7. Apply the rest of the icing to the sides and top of the cake. Decorate with the strips of lime zest.

Philippa Vine

 

Phillipa.jpgPhilippa lives on a Sussex farm, producing beef, poultry and lamb.

The mum-of-four, who’s appeared on TV’s Masterchef, is a champion of locally produced food and a big fan of fresh ingredients.

Philippa devises these recipes specially for Farmers Weekly readers every month.

For more recipes, click here

See more