Love Cake - cooking recipe

Ingredients

7 eggs, yolks and whites separated
1 lb caster sugar
125 g butter
8 ounces semolina, roasted
8 ounces raw cashews, finely chopped
8 ounces pumpkin, preserve
2 tablespoons rose water (optional)
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind
1/4 teaspoon ground mace or 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon almond essence
2 tablespoons brandy (optional) or 2 tablespoons rum (optional)

Preparation

Grease and line a 20 cm (8 inch) square tin with 2 thicknesses of greaseproof paper.
Brush inner paper with melted butter.
Soften butter and mix with semolina.
Beat the egg yolks and caster sugar until thick and creamy.
Add semolina and butter mixture and beat until well mixed.
Add in the cashews, pumpkin preserve, rose water, honey, lemon rind and spices. Set aside.
Beat egg whites until they hold firm peaks and fold into the mixture.
Add the almond essence and brandy (optional).
Pour the mixture into prepared tin and bake in moderately slow oven (Oven temperature 150 celsius/300 Farenheit) until cake is evenly golden brown on top and feels firm to the touch.
Remove from oven and leave in the tin till quite cool before turning out.
Cut into small squares and serve as is or with custard or vanilla ice cream.