pumpkin cakes

[antipodes]

Just posted this on another thread but maybe it deserves one of its own...

Recipe: pumpkin chocolate cake
I sort of made this one up but it turned out to be absolutely gorgeous. SO much so that my kids didn't believe there was pumpkin in it! I used those very orange round pumpkins but any type should work. It makes quite a small cake so please adjust the quantities for a bigger one.

    * 1 small cup of steamed mashed pumpkin
    * 150g cooking chocolate
    * 75g butter or marg
    * 100g sugar
    * 2 eggs
    * 75g self-raising flour
    * pinch of cinnamon and pinch of salt


Melt the butter untill it is very hot then add the chocolate cut into small pieces. Leave to melt with the heat of the butter then blend till smooth.
Add the eggs and beat them in well, then add the sugar and the pumpkin and salt and cinnamon.
FOLD the flour into that mixture.
Bake in a moderately hot oven, 190-200 degC for about 15-20 minutes, it should still be melting inside.

I also have a recipe for boiled pumpkin fruit cake, I will dig it out and post that one too.  Does anyone here make pumpkin scones by any chance?

[hippydave]

i dont make the scones but i would love to do when you post the recipe and ill also try the fruit cake aswell

[nilly71]

How do you steamed mashed pumpkin?

Is the pumpkin cut into slices, steamed then scooped out and mashed?

Thanks
Neil

[anemone]

I just made this cake - it was really yummy and very soft. Thank you

Nilly - I just cubed the pumpkin and steamed it then it was easily mashed with a fork.

would also love to see a pumpkin scones recipe if anyone makes them...

[Philbasford]

Made this cake just!

Used bournville dark choclate instead of cooking choclate, used an extra egg from our girls.

Is an heart attacks paradise lol:), but tastes great, serving it with cream tonight!!!

[tricia]

antipodes - what size cake tin do you use please? The idea of a small cake appeals to me!

Tricia

[Philbasford]

antipodes - what size cake tin do you use please? The idea of a small cake appeals to me!

Tricia

It will fit in a normal sized victoria sandwich tin

[antipodes]

antipodes - what size cake tin do you use please? The idea of a small cake appeals to me!

Tricia

It will fit in a normal sized victoria sandwich tin

Exactly right!   
To steam pumpkin you can either cut in in thick slices, steam then peel off the skin, or peel from raw (always harder going!) and steam in chunks.
Will poste pumpkin scone recipe next...

[antipodes]

And again: the famous Australian Boiled Pumpkin Fruitcake

Ingredients

Group 1)
250g sultanas
125g butter or margarine
2 Tabs golden syrup
200g sugar (can use brown or demerara if you  like but white is fine)
1 cup cold water (about 200ml)
1 teas bicarbonate

Group2)
225g plain flour + 1 teas baking powder, or use all SR flour
2 eggs
1 cup mashed cooked pumpkin

One large springform tin (think mine is a 24cm?). Grease and line.
Preheat oven to 170deg.

•   Put the first group of ingredients in a large saucepan and boil together for 10-15 mins. It will bubble and foam up. Leave to cool a little. Use a big saucepan and you can mix the whole mix in it.

•   Add the mashed pumpkin, mix well.

•   Then add half flour, 1 egg, mix well, then other half of flour and second egg and mix till there are no lumps.

•   Pour into tin, cook at 170 deg at least an hour. Test with skewer, it should be quite dry. If not, cook longer, protect the top with foil if it browns too much. It should have a rich fruit cake aspect when cooked. Keeps several days in an airtight tin.

[nilly71]

The Australian Boiled Pumpkin Fruitcake is cooking now, it smells so nice

Neil

[realfood]

Yes, I make low fat, low sugar pumpkin scones. My recipe is here :- http://www.growyourown.info/page178.html

[Ninnyscrops.]

Can I ask a little question Antipodes, would the fruit cake work with the same quantity of raw chopped apple instead of sultanas?  All the family love cakes but hate sultanas, currants and raisins.

Ninny

[gwynnethmary]

Would it work with butternut squash,please?  We seem to have grown lots of these (had the seeds given) and neither of us are that keen on it as a vegetable!

[nilly71]

I messed up, I think I added to much pumkin. I thought 1cup was 300g
It was baking for 1.5hours and still wet in the middle. I had to go to work at 11pm so turned off the oven and left it in there.
Just cut it open and its a bit like bread pudding but a bit more moist.

Neil

[nilly71]

Qahtan uses Butternut for pumpkin pies so it should be ok for cakes.

Neil

[realfood]

Yes, butternut can be used instead of Winter Squash.

[antipodes]

Yes definitely use any type of squash, even buternut. As for apples, hmm I don't think that would work, it's a real light fruit cake. As the dried fruit absorbs the liquid... I think it needs something dried. maybe would work with apricots?