Pumpkin Cake

Pumpkin cake:

Cream cheese icing:

Pumpkin cake:
Cook the pumpkin until soft. Drain well. Mash and set aside to cool. Preheat the oven to 200°C and grease 2 x 20 cm square cake tins. Sift the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt together. Beat the eggs and sugar together until well combined. Add the oil, pumpkin puree and vanilla essence and mix well. Stir in the pineapple. Add the flour and mix to a smooth batter. Pour into the prepared pans and bake for 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

Cream cheese icing:
Beat the butter and icing sugar together. Add the cream cheese, vanilla essence and lemon juice and beat until smooth.

To assemble:
Spread half of the cream cheese icing on top of the first pumpkin cake. Place the second cake on top and spread the remaining cream cheese icing on top. Dust with cinnamon sugar.
 
Recipe developed by Somikazi Zulu, LANCEWOOD® 2018 finalist:
"When I was growing up, I hated eating pumpkin. But my grandmother wouldn’t take no for an answer and forced me to eat my veggies. Today, I prefer them in cake form – this pumpkin cake is an absolute must for anyone who needs a reason to finish their vegetables."