Mash the steamed kabocha squash. Set aside about a spoonful to use as decoration at the end.
In a bowl, combine the egg yolks, sugar B, salt, and vanilla extract with a hand whisk.
Add the mashed kabocha from step 1 (the cake-layer portion), the butter and milk, and the condensed milk, mix, and set aside.
In another bowl, whip the egg whites with a hand mixer on high speed, adding sugar A in three additions, to make a meringue.
When the meringue looks thick and elastic as you lift the mixer, switch to low speed and mix for 1 minute to even out the air bubbles. It’s done when it forms short peaks.
Add the sifted cake flour to the mixture from step 3 and fold lightly with a spatula. If you add the flour before making the meringue, the batter thickens quickly and the meringue can easily deflate, so add it right before the meringue goes in.
Fold in the meringue in two additions.
Pour the batter into the pan, tap it twice on the counter to knock out air bubbles, and bake in an oven preheated to 165°C for 35 minutes.
Tap the baked cake layer on the counter once more and let it cool at room temperature for 30 minutes. Wrap it, pan and all, in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. A cake that rises a lot from the meringue will sink as it cools.
In a bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar with a hand mixer on medium speed to break up any lumps.
Add one third of the heavy cream and the condensed milk and beat until smooth.
Add the rest of the heavy cream and whip to about 60%. When you lift the mixer, the cream should still flow but be slightly thick.
Add the chilled steamed kabocha, mashing it once more before adding it.
Whip until firm and no longer runny. Cream with kabocha in it is a bit stiffer than plain whipped cream, and overwhipping can make it taste heavy, so once it has thickened somewhat, switch to a hand whisk to finish.
Take out the cake that has been chilling in its pan.
Remove it from the pan, then spread the kabocha cream over it with an offset spatula.
Ice the whole cake evenly with the kabocha cream. Put the remaining cream in a piping bag fitted with a decorative tip.
Use an L-shaped offset spatula to sweep up the sides and create a pattern.
Make a loose wave pattern on top and decorate with the piping tip.
Finish with the reserved mashed kabocha.
Tips
It tastes even better made with a drier kabocha squash or chestnut kabocha.
Eaten cold, it’s dense and chewy; take it out 15 minutes before serving for a softer texture.
It keeps in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Kabocha Squash Cake
Equipment: oven, mixing bowl, kitchen scale, sieve
Ingredients (1 batch)
- sweet kabocha pumpkin 180g, steamed and mashed
- unsalted butter 95g
- cake flour 60g
- egg yolk 42g
- egg white 84g
- sugar 48g, sugar A
- sugar 32g, sugar B
- salt 2g
- milk 16g
- sweetened condensed milk 16g
- vanilla extract 3g
- sweet kabocha pumpkin 120g, steamed and mashed
- cream cheese 60g
- sugar 20g
- heavy cream 200g
- sweetened condensed milk 20g
Instructions
1. Mash the steamed kabocha squash. Set aside about a spoonful to use as decoration at the end.
2. In a bowl, combine the egg yolks, sugar B, salt, and vanilla extract with a hand whisk.
3. Add the mashed kabocha from step 1 (the cake-layer portion), the butter and milk, and the condensed milk, mix, and set aside.
4. In another bowl, whip the egg whites with a hand mixer on high speed, adding sugar A in three additions, to make a meringue.
5. When the meringue looks thick and elastic as you lift the mixer, switch to low speed and mix for 1 minute to even out the air bubbles. It's done when it forms short peaks.
6. Add the sifted cake flour to the mixture from step 3 and fold lightly with a spatula. If you add the flour before making the meringue, the batter thickens quickly and the meringue can easily deflate, so add it right before the meringue goes in.
7. Fold in the meringue in two additions.
8. Pour the batter into the pan, tap it twice on the counter to knock out air bubbles, and bake in an oven preheated to 165°C for 35 minutes.
9. Tap the baked cake layer on the counter once more and let it cool at room temperature for 30 minutes. Wrap it, pan and all, in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. A cake that rises a lot from the meringue will sink as it cools.
10. In a bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar with a hand mixer on medium speed to break up any lumps.
11. Add one third of the heavy cream and the condensed milk and beat until smooth.
12. Add the rest of the heavy cream and whip to about 60%. When you lift the mixer, the cream should still flow but be slightly thick.
13. Add the chilled steamed kabocha, mashing it once more before adding it.
14. Whip until firm and no longer runny. Cream with kabocha in it is a bit stiffer than plain whipped cream, and overwhipping can make it taste heavy, so once it has thickened somewhat, switch to a hand whisk to finish.
15. Take out the cake that has been chilling in its pan.
16. Remove it from the pan, then spread the kabocha cream over it with an offset spatula.
17. Ice the whole cake evenly with the kabocha cream. Put the remaining cream in a piping bag fitted with a decorative tip.
18. Use an L-shaped offset spatula to sweep up the sides and create a pattern.
19. Make a loose wave pattern on top and decorate with the piping tip.
20. Finish with the reserved mashed kabocha.
https://hong-recipe.pages.dev/en/recipes/sweet-pumpkin-cake/
Hong's Recipe