The enchantment cake always amazes when I bring it to the table. Every time someone says: “Are there really pumpkin and spinach inside!?” Yes, indeed. But don’t worry… it doesn’t taste like pumpkin or spinach. These vegetables are only for coloring it naturally, giving this cake a truly original appearance. I found the idea a while ago on a blog that no longer exists, and since then, I have made it many times, changing the dough, the quantities, and the topping a bit. In fact, I’ve turned it into my own version. It’s a super soft and light cake, with a delicate taste and… not too sweet. Three different doughs (one with pumpkin, one with spinach, and one with cocoa) are divided into twelve circles that slowly rise in the pan, creating a soft and scenic weave. Each slice becomes a little surprise. A layer of orange marmalade binds the layers with an aromatic note, while sliced almonds give that crunchy touch that completes… the enchantment. In short, it’s a simple pantry cake that, however, presents itself so well and always makes its appearance at the table; a perfect cake to start the day with a touch of wonder!
Other vegetable-based desserts I recommend trying:
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Cheap
- Rest time: 5 Hours
- Preparation time: 1 Hour
- Portions: 8People
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
Ingredients for the Enchantment Cake
I used dry brewer’s yeast, but you can replace it with fresh yeast. In this case, use a whole cube (25 g) and dissolve it in warm milk before adding it to the flour. Naturally, you can reduce the amount of yeast if you have plenty of time for rising.
- 4.4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 2.8 tsp dry brewer's yeast
- 3/4 cup milk (warm)
- 5.6 tbsp butter (at room temperature)
- 2 eggs (medium – mine weighed 4.2 oz with shell)
- 1.1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2.5 tbsp pumpkin pulp
- 3.5 tbsp spinach (weight net of waste)
- orange marmalade
- sliced almonds
Tools
I made the dough for this cake with the stand mixer, but you can easily do it by hand by working the ingredients first in a bowl and then on the work surface.
- 1 Stand Mixer
- 1 Hand Whisk
- 1 Baking Tray
- 1 Food Processor
- 1 Brush
- 1 Cake Pan with high edges and 9.5 inches in diameter
Preparation of the Enchantment Cake
Put the flour, sugar, and dry brewer’s yeast in the bowl of the stand mixer and mix with a small hand whisk.
Then, add the warm milk and eggs and start mixing with the dough hook.
When the dough has come together, add the soft butter in pieces and continue to work with the hook until you get a smooth and homogeneous paste.
Transfer it to the lightly floured work surface and knead it a few more moments with your hands.
At this point, divide the dough into three equal parts (they will weigh about 12.3 oz each); place them in a pan lined with parchment paper, cover them, and let them rise for an hour.
Cut the pumpkin pulp into thin slices and remove the hard central rib from the spinach leaves.
Cook the pumpkin in a pan with a splash of water until it becomes very soft. Then, mash it with a fork or pestle until you get a puree. I cooked it in the microwave with a teaspoon of water for 3 minutes at maximum power. If you want to accentuate the color, you can add a pinch of turmeric. I assure you it won’t affect the flavor.
Wash the spinach, dry them very well (I used a salad spinner) and chop them finely. You can do this with a mezzaluna or a food processor.
Weigh the unsweetened cocoa powder.
Line a high-edged cake pan with parchment paper, 9.5 inches in diameter.
After the hour of rest, break the rise and add the pumpkin puree, chopped spinach, and cocoa to the respective doughs. It will probably be necessary to add a tablespoon of milk to the brown dough. A bit of flour (but not much) will be needed in the other two doughs.
Knead thoroughly until these ingredients are perfectly incorporated.
Now divide each ball into four equal parts and form a circle with each piece. There will be 12 in total: 4 of each color.
Brush all circles with orange marmalade. If you don’t like it, you can replace it with apricot jam.
Finally, place the circles inside a high-edged baking tray 9.5 inches in diameter, previously lined with parchment paper. Alternate the colors and slightly overlap them.
Cover the baking tray and let it rise until the dough has tripled in volume. The rising time depends a lot on the ambient temperature and can vary from three to five hours.
Just before baking, sprinkle the surface with almond flakes.
Bake the enchantment cake in a preheated static oven at 338°F for 50 minutes, covering it with a sheet of foil in the last 20 minutes of cooking, if it browns too much. Remove from the oven and let it cool before removing it from the cake pan and transferring it to the serving plate. If desired, it can be decorated with a light dusting of powdered sugar. Enjoy! Paola.
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