recipe for Pumpkin Chiffon Cake

The Essential Herbal list was talking about pumpkins and recipes today. First, let me tell you a pumpkin story about when I was growing up. My brother, Rod, was nine years older than me. He doted on me and I adored him. I believed what he told me...the gospel according to Rod. One Halloween when I had just turned 6 and he had just turned 15, he was in charge of carving pumpkins for the younger kids (me, my younger sister and younger brother). Of course the first step in getting a pumpkin ready for carving is to cut the top and scoop out the innards. Rod made a big production out of the situation and we young 'uns were thrilled. The first scoop of pumpkin goop came out amidst squeals of "Ewwwww" from us. The second scoop came out and lo and behold there was a Snickers candy bar amid the pumpkin seeds and stringy orange slop! Our eyes got as big as dinner plates. Wow! Another scoop into the pumpkin and wouldn't you know, ANOTHER candy bar appeared. We were clapping and wondering how candy bars ended up INSIDE the pumpkin. Rod smiled and said, "Must be the Great Pumpkin knew you three had been good this year."

Pumpkin Chiffon Cake
2 cups cake flour
1 ½ cups sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg, freshly grated
½ tsp ground cloves
½ cup vegetable oil
8 egg yolks
½ cup water
¾ cup canned or freshly cooked and mashed pumpkin
½ tsp cream of tartar
8 egg whites

Sift all dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl

Make a deep well in the center. Add, in order, oil, egg yolks, water and
pumpkin. Beat until satiny smooth.

Add the cream of tartar to the egg whites. Beat until very stiff, but not
dry.

Pour the pumpkin mixture in a thin stream over the egg whites; then gently
fold into the whites with a spatula.

Bake in an ungreased cake pan 55 minutes at 325. Then, increase heat to 350
and bake 10 more minutes.

Let cool and use the following cream cheese recipe for frosting.

4 Tbsp butter, softened
3 oz cream cheese, softened
2 cups confectioner’s sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Beat together until fluffy and smooth. Frost cake.