Chocolate Pumpkin Cake
Prep Time:50 mins, Cook Time: 30 - 40 mins, Total Time: 1 Hr 20 - 30
October 18, 2012
Yesterday it was Wednesday and there’s no school in most parts of France on Wednesdays so the littlies were at home. A bit odd at first but quite nice for the kids to have a day off half way through the week, especially as the school hours of 9 to 5 are so long (for Frannie anyway). Over the last few weeks it’s become a bit of baking day at Chez Foti, trying out a new cake or muffin recipe or two and getting the littlies to help with the weighing, pouring, whisking, stirring and of course most importantly the tasting. Yesterday it was the turn of a Chocolate Pumpkin Cake, not only a pretty healthy cake but one of the moistest and most temptingly delicious. And the kids LOVE it. I think this’ll be a regular Wednesday bake whilst the pumpkin season continues.
I love experimenting with veggies in cakes, much to the horror of the French who still haven’t really got to grips with the humble carrot cake. I made many a Courgette Cake with homemade Lemon Curd over the summer, and a few Chocolate Courgette or Marrow Cakes of late using up the last of the glut. I’ve also baked quite a bit with Butternut Squash in Muffins and Cakes and once even made a gloriously coloured Beetroot Chocolate Cake. But using Pumpkin was a newbie to me, and after a couple of attempts I’ve perfected my recipe and it really is a winner. Low in sugar, and only using healthier unrefined Light Muscavado anyway, and richly flavoured by Roasted Pumpkin, Cocoa and a little warming Cinnamon.
We’ve more than a few pumpkins at Chez Foti, to be honest I’ve not counted them but there’s a lot. They should definitely see us through the winter and I have a feeling the blog will be moving from it’s recent tomato red to pumpkin orange. I’ve picked a few already but most are still out on the patch and will stay there slowly ripening until there’s a risk of frosts.
I’m entering this blog for my first ever time to the We Should Cocoa challenge, held by Choclette of the Chocolate Log Blog and the Chocolate Teapot Blog and this month guest hosted by Hungry Hinny. This month’s challenge is to pair Pumpkin with Chocolate or Cocoa. I’m going for a double whammy and also putting it forward to the One Ingredient Challenge, as this month the ingredient so happens to be Squash or Pumpkin!. The challenge is held jointly by Laura at How to Cook Good Food and this month by Nazima at Franglais Kitchen.
Pumpkin!
Great For:
Elevensies, Afternoon Tea, Puds, After-School Treats, Snacks, Toddlers, Pre-Schoolers, Big Kids, Grown Ups, Pumpkin Hoarders or Growers, Veggie Baking Obsessives
Notes:
You could substitute the pumpkin with butternut squash
Special Equipment:
a 20 x 35cm baking tin lined with baking parchment
Chocolate Pumpkin Cake
Ingredients Prep Time:50 mins, Cook Time: 30 - 40 mins, Total Time: 1 Hr 20 - 30
700g pumpkin, peeled, seeds removed, and cut into very large chunks
120g unsalted butter, room temperature
120ml sunflower oil
260g light muscovado sugar
3 medium free range eggs, lightly beaten
130ml milk
350g plain flour
50g cocoa powder
2 heaped teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1) Begin with roasting your pumpkin. Place the very large chunks on a baking sheet in an oven pre-heated to 190ºC/Gas Mark 5. Bake for about 40 minutes until they’re pretty soft, turning once or twice during the cooking time. Once cooked remove from the pan, place in a bowl and thoroughly mash with a potato masher. Leave to cool a little. This part could always be done before, when you happen to be using the oven.
2) Meanwhile start the cake batter. Place the very soft butter, sunflower oil and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Stir or whisk until well combined.
3) Whisk in the eggs, followed by the milk.
4) Now gradually sift in the flour, cocoa, baking powder and cinnamon to the cake mixture, stirring until well combined with each sifting.
5) Finally stir in the slightly cooled mashed pumpkin and scrape into your lined baking tray. Bake in the preheated oven (190ºC/Gas Mark 5) for 30 to 40 minutes. It’s ready when it’s firm to touch on the top (but still feeling a little squidgy), and an inserted skewer comes out clean of crumbs.
6) Turn out of the tin and cool on a cooling rack. Cut into squares and serve as soon as cool enough to eat. You won’t be able to resist for long!
This looks so moist and fudgy, almost brownie like - it definitely doesn’t look like a ‘healthy’ cake! Thanks very much for entering We Should Cocoa
Hi Natalie, it is actually very brownie like and quite fudgy, though considerably better for you than the brownies I normally make! Louisa
Can’t wait to try this - what a great idea! Beetroot and chocolate was a big failure with my family, but I reckon this combination will be a lot more popular.
Please try it! The roasted pumpkin adds a lovely natural sweetness to the cake (assuming it’s a flavoursome pumpkin anyway!) and also a good deal of squidgeability to the bake
I too have really enjoyed using pumpkins and squashes in so many bakes this year. They work so well I can’t believe it has taken me so long to realise!
This cake looks like it has a fudgy, brownie like texture that would be perfect for my family.
Thanks so much for entering One Ingredient xx
I love adding veggies to cakes as not only do they add extra goodness the bakes are always so moist. And don’t burn their bums in my terrible oven! The pumpkin’s definitely my favourite so far though as it adds a fab fudgy texture and lots of healthier natural sweetness.
I’ll be making this on Friday night for my sister-in-law’s pre-marriage ladies’ get-together! I’m pretty sure there won’t be any left overs for the men!
If I wanted to ‘de-health’ it a bit, do you have a decadent side or icing you’d recommend?
Saz x
Oh Saz, no pressure for it to be too good then! I’m reckoning you could very satisfactorily de-healthy it with a thick layer of ganache style chocolate icing on the top, melted good quality plain chocolate mixed with cream….the same icing I put on Jacques’ birthday cake in fact. Here’s the link. http://chezfoti.com/2012/05/18/chocolate-birthday-cake/
Hope it’s a good night! Bet they bake a lot with pumpkins this time of year in Canada?
X
Your leaning tower of pumpkins photo is wonderful. You should be feeling very proud of all the wonderful produce you’re producing. Our squashes came to nothing this year due to the appalling summer we had and I’m feeling bereft. For the first time in many a long year I’m going to have to buy a squash, so I can take part in my own challenge!
Your cake sounds delicious and shows once again, that your children have good taste. Thanks for entering it into WSC
Thanks so much Choclette! I’ve only been growing veggies for a couple of seasons and seem to be extraordinarily lucky with the results. But then we do have a lot if sunshine, and this year quite a bit of rain too. And a lots of space so I can grow plenty of everything incase there’s any failures!
This sounds scrummy Louise, really keen to try it. Such lovely pics of your children too, looks as if they’re really enjoying making and eating it! Great healthy idea and you’ve inspired me to grow lots more squash next year. Andrea
Thanks Andrea, I’m glad my kids are really showing an interest in cooking and baking now. Makes cake baking much more fun! I’m loving cooking with squash and pumpkins at the moment and really look forward to this time of year, Louisa
Chocolate & pumpkin - now there’s a delicious idea. Can’t wait to try it!
Thanks, let me know if you try it!
This looks delicious and so moist! I love your pumpkin tower picture!
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Love the cake, and your children are adorable. I do a chocolate and beetroot cake (on my blog) but I’ve never tried one with pumpkin. Must remedy this gap in my baking repertoire. Thanks for the Twitter follow. We seem to ‘know’ quite a lot of the same people
Thanks Kellie. I think pumpkin’s my favourite veggie in cakes now, mainly as it adds a pleasing natural sweetness. Thanks for the follow too!
Louisa
I do love the moistness of this chocolate and pumpkin cake Louisa. I also have to say that the pictures of the pumpkins and your lovely kids are great. I shall have to look at the baking containers you mention.
Sorry for taking so long am finally doing the one ingredient roundup and will link back to your post
Thanks Nazima. The Oogaa bowls are amazing, my kids eat their breakfast, lunch and dinner out of them most days and they’re brilliant for baking with too!. I think they’re only for sale in the UK from an independent store in Kew at the minute, but will hopefully be coming very soon. I’ll find out.
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