This delicious lightly spiced pumpkin cake flavoured with orange is special. It's dairy-free, made with wholemeal flour and also contains less sugar than many other equivalent bakes. Perfect for autumnal festivities, especially Bonfire Night and Halloween.
180gcoconut sugaror soft brown sugar (I used muscovado)
3large eggs
150mlneutral cooking oil(I used sunflower oil)
1organic orangezest and juice
pinchfine sea or rock salt
400gpumpkin purée(I used homemade)
225gwholemeal flour
2tspbaking powder
½tspbicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
2tspmixed spiceor pumpkin spice
Blood Icing
50gicing sugar
1tspbeetroot powder(optional)
Instructions
Pumpkin Cake
Set the oven to 180℃ (350℉, Gas 4).
In a large bowl, whisk the sugar and eggs together until any sugar lumps have disappeared.
Add the oil, salt, orange zest and all but 1 tbsp of the juice (keep this for the icing). Whisk again.
Add the pumpkin puree and whisk until everything is well incorporated.
Sieve in the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and the spices. Discard any particularly large bits of bran that are left in the sieve. Ours goes onto the compost heap.
Fold the dry ingredients in with your whisk or a large metal spoon until everything is just about blended.
Pour into an oiled bundt-type silicone mould or tin. Alternatively use a 23cm (9") deep round cake tin or mould. For a traybake use a 23cm (9") square cake tin or mould.
Bake in the centre of the oven for 40-45 minutes for a bundt or ring mould and 35-40 minutes for a square tin. The top should be firm to the touch and an inserted skewer needs to come out more or less clean.
Leave to cool in the mould for ten minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Blood Icing
Sieve the icing sugar and beetroot powder into a bowl. Then add enough of the reserved orange juice to make a slightly runny icing. Stir well.
Drizzle the icing over the top of the cooled cake.
Notes
If making a traybake, cover with a cream cheese frosting flavoured with orange. Slice into squares.Don't just keep this cake for Halloween, it's a fabulous autumn bake for any time. Just omit the beetroot powder from the icing, unless you like the bloody look.Please note: calories and other nutritional information are per serving. They’re approximate and will depend on exact ingredients used.