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Styrian (Eastern Austria) Pumpkinseed Oil Cake

Elagins's picture
Elagins

Styrian (Eastern Austria) Pumpkinseed Oil Cake

Last week, my wife's cousins from Styria, in eastern Austria, came to stay with us and brought us some dark green pumpkinseed oil, which is a regional specialty. They also brought a recipe for a chiffon cake made with the oil. The recipe couldn't be simpler (and it's also an amazing taste when accompanied by a good beer):1. Grease and flour a bundt or gugelhupf pan and sprinkle the bottom with toasted pumpkinseeds.
2. In a bowl combine 4 egg yolks, 100ml of water, 100ml of pumpkinseed oil, 100g of vanilla sugar, 150g of powdered sugar and beat for at least one minute until fully emulsified.
3. Combine 100g of granulated sugar with the 4 egg whites and whip to soft peaks. Add about 1/3 of the eggwhites to the oil mixture and stir gently until blended.
4. Sift together 250g of all-purpose flour and 5g of baking powder and add slowly to the oil mixture, stirring gently until smooth, then fold in the remaining eggwhites.
5. Bake at 350F/170C for 55-60 minutes, until a tester comes out clean.

The oil isn't easy to come by, but it's absolutely a great find when you do. It's also fantastic (believe it or not) on vanilla ice cream!

Comments

Isand66's picture
Isand66

That looks pretty amazing.

So what does this taste like?  Is it very sweet?

Elagins's picture
Elagins

despite the high ratio of sugar (350g = 140% of flour weight), which would make it, in US terms,  a "high ratio" cake, although the use of whipped egg whites and oil rather than shortening qualifies it more as a chiffon cake. The oil has so insistent a flavor (sweet, fragrant, nutty, with the tiniest hint of bitterness) that everything else pales before it.

As I mentioned in the original post, Helmut, my wife's cousin, suggested we drink it with beer, which, despite how it sounds, made a really terrific combination.

Stan Ginsberg
www.nybakers.com

hanseata's picture
hanseata

I've never used it in a cake, so far. Only in Austrian pumpkin seed breads and my flaxseed bread. It's expensive, but it keeps fresh for a very long time (stored in a dark, cool place).

Karin

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

I've had mine unopened in the cupboard for many years (7).  It is in a tin and Roland brand.  We use to distribute Roland and they gave me: avocado, pumpkin, white and black truffles, hazelnut and walnut oils.    A nice selection.  The only ones I used was the walnut oil just recently for Phils Walnuit and Sage Bread.  I'm guessing the rest will be ok if unopenened.

Never thought of using it in breads with sunflower seeds. It won't be unopened long now.

Isand66's picture
Isand66

That avocado oil has got to taste good too!  I almost bought some the other day but it was quite pricy.

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

It went rancid in the cupboard after it was opened in about 8 weeks.  Should have put it in fridge.  We liked it and it would have been good in your guacamole bread. Made great Huevos Rancheros too.

Mini Oven's picture
Mini Oven

pour a tablespoon into a saucer or small plate, sprinkle lightly with salt and tear up a baguette dipping corners into the oil.   Toasted, warm or grilled baguette even better!   Yes, so good poured on ice cream (even better if you're an X-files fan) also a swirl on top of squash soup or drizzle in salad greens also worth mentioning.  If you already have green pasta, try a noodle salad made with it.  I keep mine in the fridge.   Oh, for an accompaniment to cold cuts, try slicing onion ringlets and drizzling the green oil over it.  Yum!  esp with cold roast beef.  

Most important it can prevent and reduce prostate cancer.  Cured my father (now 87yrs) when he first had some positive test results.  

I like to marinade steak with it.  (Learned that from my bank director.)   

Stan, I was expecting the cake to be a little bit browner next to the form.

hanseata's picture
hanseata

Mini, as usual you are supplying us with most useful information. I'll definitely try some of these possibilities. I did use it with squash soup, too, together with toasted pumpkin seeds.

Karin

Isand66's picture
Isand66

Anything that can cure cancer and tastes good to boot is worth trying!

Thanks for the info Mini.