I have never eaten pumpkin cake, though I have tried pumpkin pie a few years back. The pie was good but I prefer something less mushy so I decided that I would make a cake, or a loaf cake using pumpkin puree.
In the end I decided on a pumpkin loaf cake or, as some people call it, pumpkin bread. It is easy to slice for serving and can be spread with butter if desired. But for mine I decided to make some cream cheese frosting to go on the top.
The recipe is quite simple, if you can buy a can of pumpkin puree. It is available in the UK in some supermarkets at this time of year. I found it in Waitrose, Sainsbury’s and Tesco. It needs to be 100% pumpkin which is what was sold in those stores. The loaf cake also has a mixture of spices in it, giving that lovely pumpkin spice autumnal flavour.
Although the recipe below makes a simple pumpkin loaf cake it is quite easy to add some cranberries, raisins, chocolate chips or similar if desired. For me the simple cake with the frosting is all that was needed.
My loaf cake turned out very well indeed. It cracked on the top, as these loaf cakes often do, which was fine.
Then, once some frosting was spread over the top and chilled a little it was ready to slice and taste. I must say it tasted very good indeed. So, a simple cake which delivers a great taste and texture.
For the loaf cake:
- 350g (2 1/2 cup) plain flour
- 300g (1 1/2 cups) caster or granulated sugar( you can use brown as well if you wish)
- 425g(1 15oz can) pumpkin puree
- 2 medium eggs(large in USA)
- 240ml (1 cup) vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
For the frosting if required:
- 170g (6 oz) cream cheese at room temperature
- 52g(4 tbsp) butter, softened
- 120g(1 cup) icing sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract.
Method:
- Grease and line a 9×3 inch(22×13 cm) loaf tin.
- Preheat the oven to 165C/145C Fan/330F.
- Mix the flour, spices, salt, baking powder and soda together to get them all nicely combined.
- In a large bowl place the eggs, pumpkin puree and sugar and whisk until all combined.
- Continue to whisk as you drip the oil in a little at a time, ensuring you obtain a homogenous batter.
- Add the flour in two additions and gently mix until it is fully combined.
- Pour the mixture into the loaf tin and spread to make level all over.
- Bake in the oven for 80-90 minutes, until a skewer poked into the centre comes out clean.
- Allow the loaf cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Place all the frosting ingredients into a large bowl and whisk until it is all light and fluffy.
- Spread the frosting over the top of the loaf cake, and use the back of a fork to make a pattern on top.
- Chill for about 30 minutes in the fridge to allow the frosting to firm slightly.
- Then slice and serve.
Yes that can be a problem, particularly here in the UK. But usually in the autumn the stores stock it.
It is an easy recipe, the only difficulty is the availability of pumpkin puree.