I've been a bit late to the pumpkin party this year, although I cook with butternut squash a lot (it's my favourite vegetable), I don't often bake with it, but I decided to remedy that this week with a loaf of pumpkin bread (I say bread but I would call this a loaf cake...) and now I'm kicking myself for not getting in the game sooner because this cake is delicious...Seriously, seriously good!
It is an incredibly moist (but not soggy- that's important) cake, made so by the use of pumpkin puree (more than is usually used in pumpkin bread), sunflower oil, soft brown sugar, orange juice and eggs; with a delicious spiced pumpkin flavour- almost like gingerbread but...different...I threw in some dried cranberries because why the hell not and drizzled the baked loaf with an orange glaze which works really well with the pumpkin and spice. This (or variations of it) is definitely going to become part of my yearly must bakes.
Not only is this loaf delicious, it contains quite a lot of pumpkin which is really good for you, as are cranberries and cinnamon, so I'm calling it...this bread is practically a health food! (At least that's what I'm telling myself...).
If you wanted to make it even more healthy you could swap half of the flour for wholemeal. You can also make muffins from this mix, just bake them at the same oven temperature for about 18-20 minutes. The cake also keeps really well in an airtight container for a week or so (in fact it improves after a day or two), if you can really make it last that long...I doubt it!
Canned (tinned if you're British) pumpkin puree isn't really a "thing" in Britain, you can occasionally find a grossly overpriced tin in the American section of supermarkets but thankfully it is easy to make your own (I prefer to make things myself anyway).
Simply heat the oven to 190°C/375°F/gas mark 5, slice a small pumpkin or butternut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds, place face down in a roasting tin and bake for about 45 minutes until fork tender. Remove from the oven and allow to cool a little then peel off the skin and puree the flesh in a food processor/with a hand blender/potato ricer until smooth.
Don't use the large carving pumpkins as they are stringy and don't have much flavour, any variety of small pumpkin or squash is fine, I use butternut squash as it is easy to get hold of and is less stringy than pumpkin (I also read that most canned pumpkin puree is actually butternut squash anyway). It is also fine to use canned pumpkin if you have it, but don't use the pre-spiced one.
You can swap the dried cranberries with an equal quantity of fresh ones, or use chocolate chips, chopped nuts or pretty much anything else you fancy chucking in- go wild!. The orange juice in the glaze can be substituted for maple syrup to make a delicious maple glaze or use milk/water/rum/any other liquid you want really; milk with a pinch of cinnamon to make a cinnamon glaze for a bit of extra spice would be tasty.
Ingredients:
- 150g (¾ cup) caster (superfine) sugar
- 100g (½ cup) dark brown soft sugar
- 2 eggs
- 120ml (½ cup) sunflower oil (or other flavourless oil)
- 60ml (¼ cup) orange juice
- 340g (1 and ½ cups) pumpkin puree (canned or homemade)
- 220g (1 and ¾ cups) plain flour
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- 120g (1 cup) dried cranberries
For the glaze:
- 75g (¾ cup) icing (powdered) sugar
- 1 tbsp orange juice
Place your oven rack to the lower third position and preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4. Placing the loaf in the lower part of the oven rather than the centre helps to prevent the top from browning too much too soon. Grease and line a 9x5 inch loaf pan with baking parchment. Set aside.
Whisk together the sugars, eggs, oil, orange juice and pumpkin puree in a large bowl until smooth, in a separate bowl mix together the flour, bicarb of soda, baking powder, salt and spices. Sift the dry ingredients into the wet and gently mix together with a spatula, do not overmix. Fold in the cranberries then pour the batter into the prepared loaf tin. Bake for about an hour. Halfway through the baking time, cover the loaf with tin foil to prevent the top from browning too much. Start checking for doneness after 55 minutes, a skewer inserted into the centre should come out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter, my loaf took an hour and 10 minutes to cook but the time will vary depending on your oven.
Place the tin on a wire rack and leave the cake in the pan until completely cold. To make the glaze, sift the icing sugar into a bowl and stir in the orange juice. Remove the loaf from the tin and drizzle over the glaze before slicing. The bread will keep in an airtight container for about a week.
(Recipe adapted from http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2014/09/08/pumpkin-chocolate-chip-bread/)
I am sharing this recipe with Create Link Inspire Party , Fiesta Friday, Foodie Fridays and Cooking With Herbs
Ginger
This looks so appetising! I do have some dried cranberries somewhere ...
Domestic Gothess
It is really good! And it keeps so well too, we're still nibbling away at it almost a week after baking and I think it may taste even better than when it was fresh!
Rita
Could you include in your blog or send to me by email the US measurements in cups, etc. Thank you, Rita
hannahhossack
Hi Rita, I've updated the blog post to include US measurements. I've started including them on all of my newer posts but haven't updated all of the older ones yet, thanks for the reminder to do so!
Rita
Thank you for your prompt attention.
Question: I would like to use fresh cranberries. What would be your suggested US measurement for fresh vs dried?
hannahhossack
No problem, I would use about 1 cup of coarsely chopped fresh cranberries
Kirsty Hijacked By Twins
I love cranberries and your loaf looks delicious! x popping over from #CookBlogShare
Domestic Gothess
Thank you! 🙂
Jen @ Blue Kitchen Bakes
The loaf looks lovely and moist and I love cranberries in anything, I've not done any baking with pumpkin lately, you've inspired me now though 🙂 found you via #TastyTuesdays
Domestic Gothess
I am glad I've inspired you! 🙂 it is really moist, and I'm still nibbling away at at almost a week after baking and it is still moist and delicious!
lucyparissi
This looks seriously delicious! I love cranberries in cakes and LOVE pumpkin - butternut squash is my fave too. Thanks for linking to #CookBlogShare (ps - are you on Twitter?)
Domestic Gothess
Thank you! 🙂 I haven't baked much with pumpkin before, although I cook with it a lot, but after having tried this cake I'm going to be using it a lot more, it was delicious! I'm not on twitter...yet...I'm a bit slow at getting up to date with social media...
HonestMum (@HonestMummy)
Utterly stunning, perfect for Christmas! Thanks for linking up to #tastytuesdays
Julie is HostessAtHeart
What a beautiful cake! I love the addition of the cranberries!
Lisa @SeedyLawyer.com
Wow! I love this! I posted a pumpkin sage bread on my blog. But I think this is my new favorite bread! Love how you incorporate the cranberries and organize glaze! And your pictures should be in a magazine! Happy FF! Lisa
Domestic Gothess
Thank you! Happy Fiesta Friday! 🙂 Hannah
Tracy
I want to live in that icing... it looks amazzinnggg! Another delicious treat for the party; thank you!!! 😀
chefjulianna
Wow, a perfect treat for the fall! Or...any time of the year, for that matter! 😉
Christine
Better late than never...especially if you're bringing this to the party! Thanks for stopping by #FoodieFridays! Pinning!
Loretta
Gorgeous, and just in time for the holidays.
Born and Bred in Brooklyn
Yum! Never thought about using dried cranberries.
skd
Looks so moist and delicious 😀
dishofdailylife
More deliciousness! I seriously love seeing what you have for us every week at Foodie Fridays because it always makes me hungry! This recipe looks fantastic as well. Must pin...
Kerry @ Kerry Cooks
Interesting that you puree your own! I get my canned pumpkin from amazon in 4-packs, where its quite reasonable at £5-6 for four most months of the year (you have to buy in advance though).