PINEAPPLE BUTTERNUT CAKE

SERVES 10–12 / BAKING & PREPARATION: 1½ HOURS / CHILLING: 20 MINS

500g cubed butternut 375g cake flour 500g white sugar 2,5ml (½t) bicarbonate of soda 10ml (2t) baking powder

15ml (1T) ground cinnamon 2,5ml (½t) ground cloves

2,5ml (½t) ground or grated fresh nutmeg 1,25ml (¼t) salt 375ml (1½c) vegetable oil

5 eggs

10ml (2t) vanilla essence

1 can (400g) crushed pineapple, drained 375ml (1½c) pecan nuts, roughly chopped

LEMON CREAM-CHEESE ICING 500g smooth cream cheese, at room temperature 180g butter, at room temperature 200g icing sugar, sifted

10ml (2t) vanilla essence

15ml (1T) lemon juice grated zest of ½ lemon pecan nuts, lemon zest and edible flowers, for decorating

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease and flour two 23cm cake tins.

1 Steam the butternut until soft. Drain, then mash or purée until smooth. Set aside to cool. Sift together the flour, sugar, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, spices and salt.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, eggs and vanilla essence.

4 Gradually beat the flour mixture into the egg mixture. Add the butternut purée, pineapple and pecans, and mix well.

Divide the batter between the prepared tins. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle of each cake

comes out clean. This cake is moist, but make sure it’s cooked through. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before turning the cakes out onto wire racks.

Lemon creamcheese icing Beat together the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Beat in the icing sugar, vanilla essence and lemon juice.

Fold in the lemon zest, then refrigerate for 20 minutes. Spread the icing on top of each cake. Stack the two cakes (or serve as two single-layer cakes), then decorate with pecan nuts, lemon zest and edible flowers.