Vegan Pumpkin Zesty Orange And Crushed Black Pepper Cake With Cardamom Cheesecake Topping

Introducing the Vegan Pumpkin, Zesty Orange & Crushed Black Pepper Cake with a Cardamom Cheesecake Topping. It’s quite the mouthful to say, and an even more delightful one to taste, let me tell ya.

This is one of my favorite Autumn recipes!

I just couldn’t resist including all these tantalizing elements in the title! This cake is a veritable fireworks show of flavors, and it needed a name as bold as its taste.

It’s got a fruity essence (think pumpkin-style), it’s got a zing, it’s got a peppery kick, and it’s got a whole lotta orange. Plus, it’s crowned with a creamy, oven-baked cardamom cheesecake topping.

Now, you might be thinking that’s a whole lot of flavor to take in. And you’d be right, honey. But trust me, it’s a wild ride that’s not too overpowering.

Intrigued yet? It’s hard to say no to this tempting treat.

This cake is just the thing to brighten up a crisp autumn afternoon. So, pour yourself a cup of tea and get ready to whip up a pumpkin-infused masterpiece.

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Vegan Pumpkin Zesty Orange And Crushed Black Pepper Cake With Cardamom Cheesecake Topping

Prep time: 30 mins
Cook time: 1 hour
Total time: 1 hour 30 mins
Serves: 1

Ingredients

• 1½ cups soft light brown sugar
• 1 cup sunflower oil
• 3 Tbsp ground flax seeds
• 6 Tbsp water
• juice of ½ orange
• zest of 1 orange
• 3 cups white all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1½ cups pumpkin puree, can or homemade
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp crushed black pepper
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1½ cups cashews, soaked or boiled
• ½ cup non-dairy milk
• 2 Tbsp white sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 3 tsp ground cardamom

Instructions

1. For this recipe, you need 1½ cups of pumpkin puree. You can either use a can or make the puree at home. If making at home, choose a pumpkin suitable for baking, cut it into pieces, roast in the oven until the flesh is soft, remove the skin, and mash the flesh with a potato masher until smooth.
2. Mix the ground flaxseeds with water to make flax-eggs. Stir until it starts to gelify.
3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar and oil.
4. Zest an organic and unwaxed orange using a grater or citrus zester, and add the zest to the mixing bowl. Stir in the juice of half of the orange.
5. Add the flour and baking soda, and fold them into the batter.
6. Mix in the pumpkin puree, cinnamon, black pepper, and vanilla extract.
7. Preheat the oven to 180˚C.
8. For the cheesecake layer, add the soaked or boiled cashews to a high-speed blender or food processor. Add the non-dairy milk, white sugar, vanilla extract, lemon juice, and ground cardamom. Blend until smooth and creamy.
9. Grease a cake tin and pour/scrape the pumpkin cake batter into it. Then pour the cheesecake mixture on top.
10. Place the cake tin in the preheated oven and bake for 1 hour or until a knife comes out clean.

Enjoy your Vegan Pumpkin Zesty Orange And Crushed Black Pepper Cake With Cardamom Cheesecake Topping!