Directions

• To begin with, I turned on the oven and set it to 180 degrees Celsius, bottom and top heat, no fan. I had already cooked the pumpkin, so all I had to do was use a food processor to turn it into a fine puree, and then I weighed exactly how much I needed for this cake.
• I separated the eggs, collecting the yolks separately from the whites. On top of the yolks, I added half the amount of sugar and the vanilla sugar. I gradually added the oil, a little at a time, while mixing on medium speed. I also added the pumpkin puree together with the yogurt and mixed a little, enough to homogenize.
• We also add spices, and if you are not confident that they are dry enough, use a sieve to sift them over the eggs. We mix everything until we get a fluid, flowing yellow-brown composition. And because I didn’t think everything through, I had to move the composition to a bigger bowl when I realized that I wouldn’t have room to incorporate everything. So, choose carefully from the beginning.
• I added the salt to the egg whites and mixed them at high speed, until a foam like snow was formed. I gradually added the remaining sugar until I obtained a firm and glossy meringue. Check that there are no undissolved sugar crystals, taking a little of the meringue between your fingers and rubbing it.
• I added a third of the meringue, which made the mixture easier to mix. I vigorously homogenized, then added the rest of the meringue. This time I incorporated it delicately, with a spatula, only by folding from bottom to top, so that the composition remains as airy as possible. Sift the flour mixed with the baking powder and gently incorporate into the mixture.
• At the end, I added the finely chopped chocolate pieces, ground walnuts and cranberries. If you like larger pieces of walnut, you can chop it according to your preference with a knife, or you can replace it with finely chopped hazelnuts
• Pour the mixture into a pan lined with baking paper. I sprinkled a little walnut and some chocolate cubes on top, but this part is totally optional, but I recommend it. I put the tray in the oven for approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes. We do not rush the baking in any way.
• We can tell when it is well cooked, when the check is raised and if it is lightly pressed with a finger, it immediately springs back. Definitely check with the toothpick! When inserted into the middle of the cake, it should come out clean, with no sticky bits.
• I let the cake cool in the mold for 15 minutes. After this time, I transferred it to a wire rack to cool the cakes. Carefully, I removed the baking paper. I let the cake cool well, to room temperature, only after that I sliced ​​it, with a sharp knife. I managed to obtain a very delicate, fluffy and slightly moist cake, but very aromatic and tasty.