Kabocha Squash Cake with Brown Sugar Cream

For brown sugar cream:
Place 1 tablespoon of water in a cup. Sprinkle gelatin over it. Let stand 10 minutes to soften.

Stir cream and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Add egg whites and whisk until mixture thickens, about 12 minutes (do not boil). Add gelatin mixture; whisk until dissolved. Remove from heat and strain the mixture through a sieve into large clean bowl. Cover and chill overnight.

For cake:
Combine the cooked squash and milk in a heavy, small saucepan. Scrape in the seeds from the vanilla bean; add bean. Bring to simmer over medium heat. Partially cover the pan, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until squash is very tender, about 20 minutes. Remove the vanilla bean. Drain squash. Place squash in a food processor and blend until smooth. DO AHEAD: This part can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill until ready to use.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray six 3/4 cup ramekins with nonstick spray.

Place 1/2 cup of squash puree in a large bowl (reserve remaining puree for another use). Add sugar, oil, beer, and egg and beat to blend. Sift flour, spices, baking soda, and salt over the top of the puree mixture; beat to blend. Divide batter among prepared ramekins.

You can put the ramekins on a baking tray if desired. Bake cakes in the preheated oven until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 18 minutes. Cool cakes in ramekins. Turn out onto plates. Beat brown sugar cream to firm peaks; spoon alongside cakes.