Caribbean Spice Cake

Yield: Makes 8 to 12 servings

Ingredients

• 2  large butternut squash, cut in half lengthwise
• 2  cups  all-purpose flour
• 2  teaspoons  baking powder
• 1  teaspoon  salt
• 1/2  teaspoon  baking soda
• 2  teaspoons  ground cinnamon
• 2  teaspoons  ground ginger
• 1/2  teaspoon  ground cloves
• 1/2  teaspoon  ground white pepper
• 1/2  cup  plus 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 1/2  cups  firmly packed light brown sugar
• 2  large eggs
• 1/2  cup  tamarind nectar
• Mango Compote with Cilantro-Mint Syrup
• 1  cup  plain yogurt
• 1/2  cup  powdered sugar

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°. Scoop out squash seeds; discard or reserve for another use. Place squash, cut-side down, on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake 40 minutes or until squash is tender. When cool enough to handle, scoop out pulp. Process squash pulp in a food processor until smooth. Turn oven down to 375°. Coat a 13- x 9-inch baking pan with cooking spray, and line with parchment paper.

Combine flour and next 7 ingredients in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, beat butter and brown sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs; beat 1 minute. Add tamarind nectar and 1 1/3 cups butternut squash puree; beat until smooth. Add flour mixture, beating until combined. Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake at 375° for 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

While cake is baking, prepare Mango Compote. Beat yogurt and powdered sugar with an electric mixer until creamy.

Cut cake into squares. Cut each square into two triangles, and top with yogurt sauce. Serve with Mango Compote with Cilantro-Mint Syrup.