spiced polenta pumpkin syrup cake

- ½ small butternut pumpkin (600g), peeled, deseeded and cut into 2cm cubes
- 6 eggs
- 1 cup (175g) rapadura sugar or brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 cup (170g) instant polenta (cornmeal)
- 1½ cups (180g) almond meal (ground almonds)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ cup (125ml) maple syrup
- Preheat oven to 160°C (325°F). Place the pumpkin in a large saucepan of boiling water and cook for 20 minutes or until tender. Drain. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Place the eggs and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and whisk for 8 minutes or until light, fluffy and tripled in size. Place the cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, polenta, almond meal and baking powder in a large bowl and mix to combine. Gently fold in the egg mixture in 2 batches. Add the pumpkin and gently stir to combine.
- Pour into a lightly greased 20cm x 30cm slice tin lined with non-stick baking paper. Cook for 32–35 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Using a skewer, make holes all over the top of the cake. Pour the maple syrup over the cake. Set aside to cool in the tin. Slice into squares to serve. Serves 8–10.