Spiced Orange Pumpkin Cake

5 from 8 votes

Spiced Orange Pumpkin Cake

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.

Prep Time20

Cook Time40

Total Time1

Course: Afternoon Tea, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cake, halloween, oranges, pumpkin, squash, vegetable cake

Servings: slices

Calories: 211kcal

Author: Choclette @ Tin and Thyme

Equipment

power blender

Ingredients

Pumpkin Cake

180 g coconut sugar or soft brown sugar (I used muscovado)
3 large eggs
150 ml neutral cooking oil (I used sunflower oil)
1 organic orange zest and juice
pinch fine sea or rock salt
400 g pumpkin purée (I used homemade)
225 g wholemeal flour (whole wheat)
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
2 tsp mixed spice or pumpkin spice

Blood Icing

50 g icing sugar
1 tsp beetroot powder (optional)

Metric - US Customary

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.
180 g coconut sugar, 3 large eggs
Add the oil, salt, orange zest and all but 1 tbsp of the juice (keep this for the icing). Whisk again.
150 ml neutral cooking oil, 1 organic orange, pinch fine sea or rock salt
Add the pumpkin puree and whisk until everything is well incorporated.
400 g pumpkin purée
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.
225 g wholemeal flour (whole wheat), 2 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda), 2 tsp mixed spice
Fold the dry ingredients in with your whisk or a large metal spoon until everything is just about blended.
Pour into a lightly 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.
50 g icing sugar, 1 tsp beetroot powder
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.

Nutrition