I have put pumpkin in a soup, in a pie, and now I’m putting pumpkin in a cake!
You thought I was exaggerating when I said that I could eat pumpkin by the bucketful, didn’t you? Haha! Nope, it’s me and pumpkin all the way baby!
If I could marry an edible plant, then Pumpkin and I would be tying the knot right now. I love pineapple too, but that’s more of a summer fling really. Pumpkin has a sweetness to it, but it also brings a lot more substance to the table. And it’s a fullness that sticks around. I need something that will keep me going… 😉
Ahem. So without further ado, please welcome to the table – Pumpkin and Walnut Loaf!
Don’t let the word Loaf fool you, this is very much a dessert dish. It’s a little bit like banana bread, except we’re using pumpkin instead. It’s like pumpkin pie jumped into a cake.
Warm, comforting and full of those autumn/winter flavours.
Below are two recipes – one is vegan and the other uses eggs. The recipe instructions are slightly different for each, so make sure you select the right one. Happy baking!
Pumpkin & Walnut Loaf
Ingredients
- 150 grams roast pumpkin
- 1/4 cup low GI sugar
- 1/2 cup sunflower oil
- 1/2 cup soy/plant-based milk
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp powdered ginger
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 cup tapioca flour
- 1/2 cup brown rice flour
- 1/4 cup quinoa flour
- 2 heaped tsp baking powder
- 1 cup walnut pieces
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 200°C/390°F.
- Cut up the pumpkin into large bite-sized pieces and place on a baking tray. Coat the pumpkin with a little sunflower oil and roast in the oven until fully cooked. Once done, measure 150 grams of the pumpkin and place in a large bowl.
- Turn oven down to 180°C/350°F and lightly grease a loaf tin (roughly 20 x 10 cm).
- Add the sugar, oil, eggs, milk and spices to the pumpkin, and mix together with a whisk until the mixture is completely smooth.
- Sieve all the flours and the baking powder into the mixture and mix together until all ingredients are fully combined. Add in the walnut pieces and mix in well.
- Then pour the mixture into the loaf tin and place in the oven for about 45 minutes, until fully cooked. (You may need to use a skewer to double check that it’s cooked all the way through).
- Once cooked, allow the loaf to cool for about 10 mins, then remove from the tin and serve!
Vegan Pumpkin & Walnut Loaf
Ingredients
- 150 grams roast pumpkin
- 1/4 cup low GI sugar
- 1/2 cup sunflower oil
- 3/4 cup soy/plant-based milk
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp powdered ginger
- 3 prepared psyllium husk eggs
- 3/4 cup tapioca flour
- 1/2 cup brown rice flour
- 1/4 cup quinoa flour
- 2 heaped tsp baking powder
- 1 cup walnut pieces
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 200°C/390°F.
- Cut up the pumpkin into large bite-sized pieces and place on a baking tray. Coat the pumpkin with a little sunflower oil and roast in the oven until fully cooked. Once done, measure 150 grams of the pumpkin and place in a large bowl.
- Turn oven down to 180°C/350°F and lightly grease a loaf tin (roughly 20 x 10 cm).
- Add the sugar, oil, milk and spices to the pumpkin, and mix together with a whisk until the mixture is completely smooth.
- Add the prepared psyllium husk eggs into the mixture and mix until fully combined.
- Sieve all the flours and the baking powder into the mixture and mix together until all ingredients are fully combined. Add in the walnut pieces and mix in well.
- Then pour the mixture into the loaf tin and place in the oven for about 45 minutes, until fully cooked. (You may need to use a skewer to double check that it’s cooked all the way through).
- Once cooked, allow the loaf to cool for about 10 mins, then remove from the tin and serve!