Halloween Cake with Butternut and Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

• 200 g Cream cheese (Philadelphia type) (At room temperature)
• 150 g Powdered sugar
• 1 Vanilla bean (Seeds scraped, then dried)
• 2 Eggs (Separate whites from yolks)
• 100 g Brown sugar
• 1 pinch Sea salt flakes
• 1 tsp Ground cinnamon
• 50 g Almond flour
• 100 g All-purpose flour
• 1 tsp Baking powder
• 80 g Butter (Melted and slightly cooled)
• 200 g Butternut squash (Finely grated)
• 20 g Sugar decorations (Halloween theme) (Optional)

Instructions

1. Prepare vanilla sugar

   Cut the vanilla bean in half, scrape the seeds with the back of a knife, let them dry for a few minutes, then blend them with the powdered sugar to obtain vanilla sugar.

   Time: PT10M

2. Mix the cream cheese and vanilla sugar

   In a bowl, add the softened cream cheese, the prepared vanilla sugar, then whisk on medium speed until a smooth, homogeneous cream is obtained.

   Time: PT5M

3. Frosting rest

   Cover the frosting bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator so the texture firms up.

   Time: PT30M

4. Separate the eggs

   Separate the two eggs, place the yolks in one bowl and the whites in another, ensuring no trace of yolk falls into the whites.

   Time: PT5M

5. Mix yolks with brown sugar

   Add the brown sugar, the pinch of sea salt flakes, and the cinnamon to the egg yolks, then whisk vigorously until the mixture lightens and becomes foamy.

   Time: PT5M

6. Incorporate the flours and butter

   Add the almond flour, all‑purpose flour, baking powder, then the cooled melted butter. Gently fold with a spatula until a homogeneous batter is obtained, still slightly thick.

   Time: PT5M

7. Grate the butternut

   Grate the butternut squash very finely (using a coarse‑hole grater) to obtain about 200 g of grated flesh.

   Time: PT5M

8. Fold the butternut into the batter

   Add the grated butternut to the batter and fold it in gently with the spatula.

   Time: PT3M

9. Whip the egg whites

   Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form (about 3‑4 minutes).

   Time: PT5M

10. Fold the whites into the batter

    First pour a small portion of the whipped whites, mix quickly to loosen the batter, then add the rest in two batches, folding gently with the spatula until an airy batter is achieved.

    Time: PT5M

11. Prepare the pan

    Generously butter the 18 cm springform pan and line it with parchment paper (optional).

    Time: PT3M

12. Pour the batter into the pan

    Transfer the batter into the pan, smooth the top with the spatula.

    Time: PT2M

13. Bake the cake

    Bake the cake at 180 °C for 45 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a knife tip: it should come out clean.

    Time: PT45M

    Temperature: 180°C

14. Complete cooling

    Let the cake rest for 10 minutes in the pan, then unmold onto a rack and let cool completely (about 60 minutes).

    Time: PT1H10M

15. Frost the cake

    Remove the frosting from the refrigerator, spread it generously over the top of the cake with the spatula, allowing a slight overflow for a “drip‑by‑drip” effect.

    Time: PT5M

16. Final decoration

    Sprinkle the cake with Halloween‑colored sugar decorations (orange, black, orange).

    Time: PT2M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

395

Protein

4 g

Carbohydrates

42 g

Fat

20 g

Fiber

1 g