Pumpkin Spiced Cake
When life gives one……………pumpkins, one shouldn’t limit oneself to pumpkin soup!
This recipe was inspired by that old favourite; carrot cake. The delicious subtle flavours of mixed spice and orange hark of autumn, but instead of carrot, I used pumpkin; an ingredient normally just thrown away . Out of the estimated 39.9 million pumpkins that were bought in 2022, 22.2 million will go to waste. I’m not saying to rescue a pumpkin that has been hanging round for days or weeks (and often with a fur coat on it!), but to scrape out as much of the flesh as possible before carving. You can even use the stringy parts and seeds too – they are too nutritious and delicious to waste.
If you don’t have pumpkin, feel free to use butternut squash, or other similar squash. If using marrow, make sure you pop the flesh in a muslin cloth or clean tea towel and squeeze out as much liquid as possible as it will otherwise make the cake too dense.
Pumpkin Spiced Cake
Equipment
- Scales
- Large mixing bowl
- Food processor or grater
- Measuring Spoons
- 20 x 20cm baking pan
- Oven
Ingredients
Cake
- 150 g butter* melted
- 3 eggs
- 1 tbsp orange juice
- grated zest of half a large orange
- 3 tsp mixed spice
- 180 g brown sugar
- 375 g grated pumpkin flesh I weighed the scrapings from carving a pumpkin, then popped it in a food processor
- 100 g raisins or sultanas
- 1.5 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 225 g self raising flour you can also make make his with half and half SR flour and wholemeal flour if wished
Icing
- 200 g soft cheese
- 50 g butter softened
- 80 g icing sugar
- grated zest of half a large orange
Instructions
- Oven 180c
- Beat the eggs into the melted butter, then add the orange juice and zest, mixed spice and sugar.
- Stir in the pumpkin and raisins/sultanas. Add the bicarb, stir in then quickly add the flour.
- Pour the mixture into a greased/lined 20 x 20cm baking pan. Bake for up to 30 mins until an inserted sharp knife or skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool fully before icing.
To make the icing
- Beat the butter and soft cheese together well. Gently stir in the icing sugar (otherwise you will create a cloud!) and once mixed, beat again.
- Spread over the top of the cooled cake (I used the back of a spoon - no need for fancy palette knives!), then scatter over the grated zest of the other half of the orange. Cut into squares, then serve.
Notes
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Nutritional Benefits:
Pumpkin is rich in alpha and beta carotenes which are powerful phytonutrients shown to help prevent certain cancers, protect against type 2 diabetes, heart disease and inflammation. The carotenes are converted to vitamin A by the body which is essential for good eye health and vision. They are fat soluble so should be eaten with a little fat to help absorb the nutrients. Pumpkins are also rich in some B vitamins as well as vitamin C and E. These vitamins have an important role in maintaining healthy skin and protecting against sun damage.
Pumpkin seeds are nutritional powerhouses which are rich in protein, zinc (an antioxidant mineral which boosts the immune system), iron (important for healthy blood cells and energy levels), omega 3 fatty acids, antioxidants, magnesium, selenium, calcium and many other nutrients . They also contain heart healthy polyunsaturated fatty acids and can benefit your heart, liver and immune system as well as helping to fight the onset of diabetes. They also contain tryptophan; an amino acid which is needed by the body to produce serotonin. This brain chemical helps regulate mood, appetite, digestion, sleep and memory. Low levels are linked to depression
