Pumpkin and Orange Breakfast Cake

Pumpkin and Orange Breakfast Cake

Cake:

1 cup butter, preferably unsalted, at room temperature

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons finely grated orange zest

3 large eggs, 2 separated, all at room temperature

1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup cake-and-pastry flour (not self-rising)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Syrup:

Juice of 1 large juice orange, such as Seville

1/2 cup granulated sugar

For pan:

Additional unsalted butter, at room temperature

For serving:

Thick vanilla yogurt or vanilla ice cream

To prepare oven, pan: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter 9-inch fluted tube pan. Set aside.

To make cake: Cream butter, sugar and orange zest until light and fluffy. Add whole egg and 2 egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating well and scraping down sides of bowl between each addition. Beat in pumpkin puree. Sift together flours, baking powder and salt. Add to pumpkin batter in 3 or 4 stages, blending gently but thoroughly after each use. Stir in final addition of dry ingredients by hand if you have been using mixer, to avoid over-working batter. In clean, small bowl, whip egg whites until they hold soft peaks. Fold into batter.

To bake cake: Scrape batter into prepared pan. Smooth surface. Bake in center of oven for 50 to 60 minutes, or until top is springy when lightly touched, sides are beginning to pull away from pan and wooden skewer inserted into center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Invert onto wire rack. Cool completely. (Note: Cake keeps very well for several days, well-wrapped, and freezes beautifully for up to 2 months.)

To make syrup: In small saucepan, combine orange juice and sugar. Stir over low heat until sugar has dissolved. Increase heat. Bring to a boil. Boil without stirring for 2 minutes. Use immediately or allow to cool and refrigerate for up to 3 days (reheat gently).

To serve: Place 1 slice of pumpkin-orange cake on each plate. Spoon warm syrup over each piece. Accompany with scoop of thick vanilla yogurt (for breakfast) or ice cream (for dessert).

Makes 10 servings.