A really wonderful cake made with pumpkin purée as its base. As I've mentioned before, I'm not a fan of the distinctive taste of pumpkin, but this pumpkin cake is a whole different story. Thanks to the cinnamon and lemon zest, you can't taste the pumpkin at all. The cake turns out moist and tender with a soft, delicate crumb — very similar to these Carrot Muffins, just as fragrant and absolutely delicious. You can swap the lemon zest for orange zest, and feel free to add a pinch of nutmeg, a handful of raisins, or some nuts. I finished the cake with a cocoa glaze to bring out its warm, spiced flavor. That said, it's incredibly good even without the glaze — if you'd rather skip it, just dust the top with powdered sugar and it'll still be amazing.
Ingredients:
- 250 g pumpkin purée (about 350 g peeled pumpkin)
- 250 g flour
- 200 g sugar
- 100 ml vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- zest of 1 lemon
- pinch of salt
- Glaze:
- 50 g butter
- 2 tbsp sour cream
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp cocoa
- a handful of nuts (I used walnuts)
How to cook pumpkin pound cake
Microwave until completely soft, about 5–10 minutes (if any liquid has released, drain it off). If you don't have a microwave, you can roast the pumpkin in the oven instead. Alternatively, add a small amount of water to a saucepan and simmer until completely tender, then drain in a colander until all the liquid has run off. I use the microwave — it's the quickest and easiest method. Blend the pumpkin into a smooth purée using an immersion blender, then let it cool slightly.
Zest the lemon using the fine side of a grater, being careful not to grate into the white pith. Add the sugar, oil, eggs, zest, and salt to the pumpkin purée. If your pumpkin is on the sweeter side, you can reduce the amount of sugar.
Add the flour mixed with the cinnamon and baking powder. Beat a little more until smooth. The batter will be on the thinner side.
Pour into a greased pan (mine is 24x10 cm). Bake in an oven preheated to 180°C (350°F) for about 40–60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
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