Ingredients and equipment
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Cake tins: 2 sponge tins, 9 inches in diameter
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300g self raising flour
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½ teaspoon baking powder
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450g (1lb) Muscovado or light brown sugar
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4 eggs
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325g sunflower oil
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125g grated pumpkin
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150g macadamia nuts, chopped
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A level teaspoon each of cinnamon and allspice
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Pinch of salt
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Lime Frosting:
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150g butter
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300g Philadelphia cream cheese
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150g icing sugar
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1 lime
Method
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Preheat the oven to 180C (350F, Gas mark 4). Lightly oil the cake tins and line each one with a disc of parchment paper.
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Sift together the flour, baking powder, spices and salt. Beat together the sugar and oil until smooth.
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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.
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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.
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Beat together the butter and cream cheese, and slowly work in the sifted icing sugar.
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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.
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Apply the rest of the icing to the sides and top of the cake. Decorate with the strips of lime zest.
Philippa Vine
Philippa 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.
