Halloween pumpkin cake (Torta di Halloween alla zucca)

Just back from a fantastic cooking weekend at the ''Italiaanse dagen'' in Rosmalen, NL, where we've met a lots of new friends and Italian cuisine lovers :-) I want to propose you a cake recipie for the coming Halloween weekend parties.... a pumpkin cake with hazelnuts and chocolate (once again... not for a diet). I have baked the pumking to get a puree, you could also use canned puree but the taste will not be the same, if you have a little time, please try to make your puree at home, it is easy and healthy, you will taste the difference!

Ingredients:

- For the cake
1 small pumpkin (or 2 cups of canned pumpkin puree)
4 eggs
250ml of flavourless oil (sunflowers or else)
300gr wheatmeat organic flour (I use the 96%)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
250gr granulated white sugar
200 gr roasted and crushed hazelnuts
2 Teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
A pinch of salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
A pinch of ground cloves

- For the chocolade glaze
200gr Dark chocolate
60gr butter
1 Tbs liquid honey
1 Tbs brandy or rum (optional)
2 Tbs crushed hazelnuts
Instructions:

Cut the pumpking in halef and place it in the oven with 2 tbs water for about1 hour, 200°C (420F°)

When cooked, Scoop flesh out of the shell with a spoon and mix it with a food processor.

Preheat the oven to 180C° (350F°) Butter a 25cm cake pan (or bundt pan).

In the bowl of a food processor beat the eggs, oil, vanilla extract, sugar untill well combined. Add the pumpkin puree and mix well.
In a separate bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder salt and ground spices and nuts. Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin batter and pour into the prepared baking cake pan. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes

Take out the cake from the oven. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Invert and remove the cake from the pan. Cool completely before frosting.

Prepare the chocolate glaze: melt the chocolate , butter and honey in a glass bowl and place it in the microwave for 30 sec, stir well then place it again for 30 sec. till the chocolate is melted. tir in the brandy or rum (only if you want) let cool at room temperature. Pour the glaze over the top of the cooled cake. Let the glaze flow down the sides. Sprinkle the crushed hazelnuts on the top. make it cool.

Your Pumpkin cake is ready. Buon appetito!

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