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Pumpkins are one of those vegetables, well they are actually classed as fruit as they contain seeds, that are consigned to be used by many simply as a vessel to carve for Halloween. Pumpkins belong to the squash, or Cucurbita family, that includes courgettes, butternut squash, cucumbers and melons.

I always feel that we throw too much food away, and pumpkins are no exception. After Halloween, the shops are left straining with an abundance, and despite being named ‘culinary pumpkins’ or ‘carving pumpkins’, all are fine to eat. Carving, especially larger pumpkins, may contain more water, but this is great to add to bakes to give moisture to cakes.

I have previously created a Pumpkin Spiced Cake that is like a traybake, but I wanted to create a loaf cake that used oil (I had ran out of butter that day!). This recipe is also infused with delicious subtle flavours of cinnamon and mixed spice.

For this recipe, you can use either wedges of a whole pumpkin, or make use of those carved out eyes, mouth and scrapings of the flesh inside. I’ve also popped instructions how to make roasted pumpkin seeds which are delicious.

If you don’t have pumpkin, feel free to use butternut squash, or carrots.

Spiced Pumpkin Loaf

Joanne Iceton

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Course Dessert

Servings 1 loaf

Equipment

• Weighing scales
• Grater or food processor
• Bowl
• Measuring Spoons

Ingredients

  

• 200 g pumpkin peeled and grated
• 125 ml unrefined rapeseed oil or vegetable oil
• 175 g brown sugar
• 1 eggs
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. mixed spice
• 2 tsp. baking powder*
• 85 g plain flour*
• 80 g wholemeal flour*

Topping 1

• 10 g icing sugar to dust

Topping 2

• 150 g soft cheese
• 1 tbsp icing sugar

Instructions

 

• Oven 180c.
• Add the grated pumpkin, oil, sugar, eggs and spices to a bowl and mix well.
• Add the baking powder and flours, and stir well. *If wished, you can substitute the baking powder, plain and wholemeal flour for 175g self raising flour.
• Pour the batter into a grease or lined loaf tin and bake at 180c for 50 - 60 mins.
• Once the loaf has cooled, you can either dust the cake with icing sugar, as shown in the photo, or with cream cheese frosting; beat the soft cheese with the icing sugar, and spread over the cake. Top with a dusting of ground cinnamon if wished.

Pumpkin Seeds

• Pick out any large bits of pumpkin flesh from the seeds. Stir in 1 tsp. oil, either the paprika, or curry powder, and salt.
• Cook in a dry frying pan, stirring until they start to puff up and pop. Cover and stir frequently until toasted. You can also bake at 180c for 10-15 mins, stirring half way through, or pop in an air fryer at 180c for 10 mins, stirring half way through. Watch carefully as they burn easily.

Notes

Instead or grating the pumpkin, you can also pop the wedges or carved out shapes on an oiled baking tray and roast for 20 - 30 mins at 180c until they are fork tender. You can then scrape the flesh away from the skin and use that.

Keyword autumn, halloween, pumpkin

The recipes are free to everyone to use (please give credits to us if you choose to use them), and always will be, but our non-profit organisation incurs many costs to keep it running. If you would like to help keep it going, please consider giving a donation. If you feel inspired to try more, why not invest in our Recipe Collection, available online or from our Eco Market. 

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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 vitamin C and E. These  vitamins have an important role in maintaining healthy skin and protecting against sun damage.

Pumpkin seeds are nutritional powerhouses rich 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.

Wholemeal Flour: contains more B vitamins  than white (needed to release energy from nutrients and a healthy nervous system) and vitamin E (assists with wound healing and healthy red blood cells), iron, selenium, zinc as well as insoluble fibre, essential for good digestive health and  stabilising blood sugars.

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

Joanne Iceton

A yummy, moist cake made from that wonderful seasonal vegetable that is normally carved and discarded.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Servings 16 squares

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

*I have also tried this with a neutral oil instead of butter and it has worked just as well. 

Due to the pumpkin and soft cheese content, this cake is best stored in the fridge and will last 4 - 5 days. 

Do not throw away the seeds; they are nutritional powerhouses!

Simply dry off with kitchen paper, toss in a little oil, a pinch of salt then either 1 tbsp. smoked  paprika, curry powder, cumin, dried herbs….whatever spice/herbs you choose.

Either dry fry on a medium heat, or pop on a baking tray then bake in the oven (180c)  for 10 - 15 mins until they puff up.

As an update, I have tried toasting seeds in an air fryer which gives a much crunchier texture and is even tastier if you have some pumpkin flesh still attached - these bits become charred which contrasts with the sweet taste of the pumpkin. After you have added the oil and flavourings, add to your air fryer (I removed the grill at the bottom) then cook at 180c for 10 - 15 mins, stopping to shake a couple of times. 

Watch carefully either way as they can burn easily.

The seeds will keep in an airtight container for up to a week. 

The recipes are free to everyone to use (please give credits to us if you choose to use them), and always will be, but our non-profit organisation incurs many costs to keep it running. If you would like to help keep it going, please consider giving a donation. If you feel inspired to try more, why not invest in our Recipe Collection, available online or from our Eco Market. 

Thank you

Card Donations PayPal Donations

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