Pumpkin Cake

Name: Dolce di Zucca
Cook time: 25 min
Yield: 6 porzioni
Cuisine: Italiana
Ingredients: Ingredienti per 6 persone; 800 g di zucca gialla 1 bicchiere di latte; 70 g di burro; 120 g di farina; 100 g di miele liquido; 2 uova; 150 g di zucchero per caramellare lo stampo

Dolce di Zucca

Soft and fragrant pumpkin cake with honey, butter, and a golden caramel coating.

6 servings

Easy

Pumpkin Cake is a sweet baked treat with a soft, firm consistency, perfect for those who want to showcase pumpkin in a way that's different from traditional savory recipes. The pumpkin pulp, cooked until tender and transformed into a cream, lends the dough a delicate sweetness and moist texture; honey and sugar enhance the flavor without overpowering the vegetable. Butter adds a rounded texture, while the egg whites Whipped creams introduce lightness. Baking in a caramel-coated mold creates a sharp contrast between the soft interior and the shiny, golden, melting surface. The recipe belongs to the Italian culinary tradition. The result is a simple dessert, devoid of fillings, in which the technique—from the correct density of the dough to the delicate incorporation of the egg whites — determines the final equilibrium.

Instructions

Voice reading

9 steps · natural Italian voice

Cook the pumpkin

Cut the pumpkin into pieces and boil it in a saucepan Cover with equal parts milk and water. Continue cooking gently until the flesh is tender and easily pierced with a fork; the liquid should not evaporate completely before the pumpkin is cooked.

Blend the pulp

Blend the pumpkin while still hot for a few minutes, until you obtain a smooth and homogeneous cream, free of chunks. Work it the mixture until the consistency is uniform and fluid enough to be mixed without difficulty in the saucepan.

Prepare butter and honey

Melt the butter over medium heat and dilute the honey with a little hot water. Combine the two ingredients until smooth and creamy, without letting the butter brown. the mixture it should remain clear and easily incorporated into the pumpkin.

Thickens the mixture

Pour the butter and honey mixture into the saucepan with the pureed pumpkin, then add the flour, stirring constantly. Cook over medium heat until the mixture becomes thick and starts to come together, with no visible lumps. Remove from the heat and let it cool completely.

Incorporate the eggs

Combine the egg yolks to the mixture of pumpkin now cold and mix until evenly distributed. Whip the egg whites to stiff peaks: lifting the whisks, they will have to form a stable tip and not drip into the bowl.

Complete the dough

Incorporate the egg whites Beat with gentle, bottom-up movements, stirring only as needed to even out the batter. Avoid overmixing, as this will help maintain the volume of the batter and keep the cake softer while baking.

Candy the mold

Dissolve the sugar with three tablespoons of water and heat it until it turns golden brown. Immediately pour the caramel into the mold and carefully swirl it to coat the inside surface. Do this quickly, before the caramel thickens.

Cook the dessert

25 min

Pour the batter into the caramelized mold and bake at 180°C (356°F) for 25 minutes. The cake will be ready when the surface appears cooked and the mixture It will be firm; avoid cooking it unnecessarily to avoid drying out the consistency.

Cool and unmold

Let the cake cool completely in the pan, then invert it onto a serving plate with a firm, controlled movement. The caramel should drip onto the surface, while the cake will remain firm and hold the shape of the pan.

Chef's Tips

Incorporate the egg whites mounted only when the mixture of pumpkin is completely cold, so they maintain volume and make the dessert softer.