I proudly present to you my latest creation obsession, Spiced Pepita Cake! Now, you may be wondering, “Pepita cake? Why would I want that?” Trust me, you want this. Just imagine ooey gooey chocolate that melts in your mouth with every bite. Now, imagine that chocolate wrapped in fluffy cake that’s sweet and salty and the slightest bit savoury. I’m telling you, you want this. 
Not quite sold? Let me ask you a few questions. 
1. Do you like cake?


2. Do you like chocolate?

3. Do you like easy recipes?
4. Do you like things that are delicious?
If you’ve answered yes to any of the above,  you want this.
This recipe is a heavily adapted version of chef Rick Bayless’ Mexican Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Seed Cake. While Rick uses Mexican chocolate, I used dark baking chocolate and I added some of my own spices into the batter. I also subbed out the butter for Earth Balance Spread, and I added in some sunflower seeds to the mix. Now, without further adieu… The one, the only…
Spiced Pepita Cake with Chocolate
makes one 8″ cake, recipe adapted from Food and Wine

ingredients
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds)
3/4 cup shelled sunflower seeds
250ml Earth Balance Spread (or butter)
3 eggs
1 tbsp tequila
1/2 cup chopped dark chocolate 
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground anise (optional)
1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper 
pinch black pepper
pinch salt
Preheat oven to 350F. Butter & flour an 8″ round cake pan. (I also like to put a parchment circle at the bottom of mine!) Sprinkle 1/4 cup of seeds + 2 tbsp of sugar directly into pan. In food processor (Robot Coupe), pulse the remaining seeds with sugar until sandy. Add eggs, shortening, tequila and pulse until homogenous. Add dark chocolate and pulse until incorporated. Add all dry ingredients and pulse again slowly, but do not overmix! Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes, or until golden and cake tester (toothpick) inserted in centre comes out clean. 
Once cake is slightly cooled, invert to serve. 
Dust with powdered sugar and more cinnamon if desired.