Pumpkin Seed Cake with Olive Oil & Lemon

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 20-25 minutes

Servings 8

Ingredients

Pumpkin Seed & Olive Oil Sponge

2 eggs

1 egg yolk

110g caster sugar

85ml milk

110g plain flour

15g baking powder

½ tsp cinnamon powder

100g pumpkin seeds, blitz to crumb

½ lemon zest

100ml extra virgin olive oil (light flavour)

Candied Pumpkin Seeds

100ml water

125g caster sugar

60g pumpkin seeds

Lemon Icing

120g icing mixture

1 tbsp lemon juice

Method

Beat the eggs with the sugar and add the milk slowly. Add the sifted mixture of flour, cinnamon and baking powder, and carefully mix together. Fold in the pumpkin seeds. Finally add the oil, pouring it in a thin stream and then the lemon.

Pour the batter into a 20cm round springform cake tin lined with baking paper. Bake at 180°C for approximately 20-25 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow the cake to cool in the tin before removing the tin and baking paper.

For the candied pumpkin seeds; boil the water and the sugar together and stir to dissolve. Add the seeds and boil again for a further 1 minute. Strain off the excess syrup and place the drained seeds onto a baking tray lined with paper. Roast in an oven preheated to 180°C for 8-10 minutes until golden, dry and crunchy. Cool and reserve.

To prepare the lemon icing. Sieve the icing mixture into a bowl and add the lemon juice and mix to the correct consistency.

Finish the cake with icing, candied pumpkin seeds and grated lemon and serve.