Spiced Pumpkin Date Ring Cake – a Gluten Free Autumn Treat

Here is how my mind works. Lets do a little word association:

Winter: Snowboarding

Spring: Flowers

Summer: Picnics

Autumn: Pumpkins

Such is my reasoning for this gluten free treat.

I recently found some pumpkin seed meal at my local organic store in a sealed silver bag, humming with mystery. Having no idea what it looked like or what on earth to do with it I quickly purchased it along with my tofu & dark choc coated dried cherries. I took it home & pondered the possibilities. I poured it into a bowl & stared at the pile of pistachio green dust, smelled it’s nutty & slightly bitter scent.

This cake is perfect with a cup of black coffee or a chai latte on a windy day, it is dense, moist & the flavours just sing.

Spiced Pumpkin Date Ring Cake

Ingredients:

• 250g Pumpkin seed meal (if you can’t get the pumpkin seed meal you can finely process 250g pumpkin seeds or use almond or pistachio meal)
• 100g caster sugar
• 5 large organic eggs at room temp
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 cup finely chopped dates
• 1tsp mixed spice
• 1tbsp vegetable oil (I used coconut oil)
• 1tsp baking soda
• 2tsbp honey & halved dates to garnish

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 170c/340f, grease a 25cm baking ring & dust with caster sugar.
2. Using a stand mixer or a electric hand mixer separate the eggs & whip egg whites until stiff peaks form, gradually add the sugar & beat for 2 minutes. Add the egg yolks one at a time beating to combine.
3. In a separate bowl combine pumpkin puree, dates, mixed spice, oil & baking soda
4. Add pumpkin mix gradually to eggs on a slow speed then fold in the pumpkin seed meal
5. Spoon batter into the ring pan & place the halved dates on top. Bake for 35-40 minutes until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs clinging
6. Drizzle honey over the cake while hot & allow to cool completely before removing from the tin
7. Serve with sweet ricotta