Pumpkin Chiffon Cake

Autumn is finally here! Falling leaves, that smokey smell in the night air, and pumpkin all the things! My husband keeps remarking how hard it is to maintain a good diet once Fall comes around in the U.S.A. The stores are practically shoving pumpkin flavored everything in your face where ever you go, and we love pumpkin! So we kicked off Fall with a pumpkin pie, and then this cake. It’s a perfect finish for Fall dinner parties, the end of year holidays or just as a weeknight dessert… or for afternoon tea, or with coffee, or for sneaking small pieces in-between meals, or for breakfast, or for standing over the sink in the middle of the night.

Ingredients

• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 2 & 1/4 sifted cake flour
• 1 & 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 TBSP baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 5 egg yolks (from large eggs)
• 1 & 1/4 cup pure pumpkin
• 1/2 cup light tasting oil
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 8 egg whites (from large eggs)
• 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup + 2 TBSP milk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 TBSP maple syrup or maple-flavored pancake syrup
• 1/4 cup pecan pieces, toasted

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 325f, and set out a 10″ tube pan | IMPORTANT! Do not grease the pan!
2. Measure the spices (first four ingredients) into a small bowl and whisk to blend
3. Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and the blended spices
4. In a separate bowl, beat together the egg yolks, pumpkin, oil, water, and vanilla until well mixed
5. Add the dry mixture and beat until smooth
6. In a separate, clean bowl whip the egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form
7. Gradually add the sugar and continue to whip the egg whites until thick, glossy and stiff peaks form
8. Using a wire whisk, fold egg whites carefully into batter 1/3 at a time
9. With the final 1/3, mix gently but well so that no white streaks remain
10. Pour into pan and bake for 55 to 60 minutes
11. Cool upside down in the pan, resting on the pans feet or with the flute on a sturdy cup/bowl for 1 hour
12. After 1 hours, loosen the cake by running a sharp knife around the outside edge and the flute
13. Place the cake on a cooling rack, loosen the bottom from the pan insert and remove it
14. Glaze the cake while it’s still warm
15. Beat the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla and, syrup until smooth
16. Pour glaze over cake to coat it completely, top with toasted pecan pieces
17. Put on a serving plate and let cool to room temperature before slicing

Makes 12 Servings/One 10″ Cake

Notes

• Keeps for a few days at room temperature, a week in the fridge and up to 3 months in the freezer.
• Dust with powdered sugar instead of the icing, and serve with whipped cream or ice cream.
• Do not substitute melted butter for oil, it will make the cake too dense and give it a greasy mouthfeel.
• If you don’t have Cream of Tartar, you can substitute a teaspoon of white vinegar or lemon juice.
• You could try to use an ungreased bundt pan in place of the tube pan, but I’ve never tried it.
• I toast my pecans in the microwave; on a plate on high, stirring every one minute to every 20 seconds.
• This recipe is slightly adapted from The Joy of Cooking, a true classic!