Pumpkin Cake for a Pumpkin lover

Three layers pumpkin cake with cream-cheese pumpkin filling covered in chocolate ganache. I found the inspiration on Life’s Ambrosia’s page and I was so happy.

My daughter is not fond of pumpkin or squash of any kind and yet this was the first dessert with pumpkin she tried and enjoyed. For me that says it all 🙂

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Ingredients for the cake:

  • 1 cups butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cup sugar
  • 3 medium eggs
  • 1 1/2 cup of all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup almond ground
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon powder
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 3/4 cup pumpkin puree

Ingredients for the filling:

  • 2 x 250 cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 cup of sugar
  • 1/4 cup of pumpkin puree
  • 2 tbsp butter, softened

Ingredients for the ganache ( 3 ingredients chocolate gahache without heavy whipping cream )

  • 225 g ( 8 oz ) semi-sweet dark chocolate
  • 4 tbsp butter
  • 1/2 cup of milk

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lined with baking paper a removable bottom round cake pan.

In a large bowl mix together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Scrape down the edges after adding each egg.

In a second bowl stir together flour,  almond ground, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg. Slowly add the the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until well combined. Add the pumpkin puree and fold into the bather.

Pour the bather in the prepared pan. Level well with a knife or a spatula.  Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove from oven and allow to cool for several minutes. Gently remove the ring from the cake pan cake  and place it on a cooling rack after removing the bottom.

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To make ream cheese filling, mix together the butter and cream cheese. Add the sugar and mix until stiff but spreadable mixture forms.

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For the genache:

Place the chopped chocolate in a medium bowl on bain – marie. Do not allow the water to boil. After chocolate melts add the butter and stir to incorporate. Add the milk and give it another stir. The ganache should have a glossy look and it will thickened  in about half and hour at room temperature and much faster placed in the fridge. I would advise you to make the ganache when you assembly the cake and let it settle to room temperature.

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With a long knife or a cake cutter ( I used a knife ) cut the cake in three equal layers. Fill them with cream cheese filling. After finishing with the filling and the last layer is added it pour the ganache from the center and cover the full cake.

Before let it set in the fridge:

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Because I finished my cake at midnight I had to refrigerated for the next day:

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And a slice for you to enjoy:

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Thank you Des from Life’s Ambrosia for your inspiration!

Zucchini Boats

My mother used to make zucchini in two different ways: stuffed zucchini with chicken ground and served with a sour cream dill sauce and fried zucchini served with French fries or just with a tomato feta salad. I loved both ways but I always fancy these zucchini boats. You can make this ahead and bake it when you are ready: I made the filling ahead and baked it for lunch. The leftovers were also a great lunch at work which I enjoyed.

Ingredients for 5 servings (2 halves):

  • 5 small zucchinis, cut in half lengthwise
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

 

dscn6545For the filling:

  • 400g ground lean chicken
  • 2 medium tomatoes, peeled and diced
  • ½ cup chopped red onion (green onions works well but I did not have them handy)
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 2 tablespoons of fresh chopped dill
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric (optional; I use turmeric in almost everything but if you don’t fancy it you can skip it)

 

Directions:

Using a small teaspoon, scoop out the center of the zucchini halves. You can chop the flesh of the scooped zucchini and add it to the ground meat or you can use it in other recipes: stews or frittatas.

Heat a large skillet over a medium heat. Add onion, garlic and tomatoes. Cook for about 5 minutes and add the ground chicken. Season with salt, pepper and turmeric.  And cook for about 20 minutes.

 

Place the zucchini in a baking tray lined with baking paper. Sprinkle with pepper and fresh dill. Using a spoon fill in the zucchini boats. Top each boat with about 1 tablespoon of shredded cheddar.

Bake for about 25 minutes. Turn to broil for the last 5 minutes until the cheese gets brown.

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Yummy 🙂