Pumpkin Cake/Bread

You may or may not know that I am half American. It explains my general optimism and self-confidence. It also explains my love for foods like:

• Fluff
• Oreos
• Peanutbutter and Jam Sandwiches
• General sweet things...

and...Pumpkin!!

Most people are a bit suspicious about pumpkin, like its good to carve but to eat no way!

I love Pumpkin Pie, Pumpkin Soup...and Pumpkin Cake/Bread. Now the confusion over whether it is a cake or a bread is basically because I don't know what the difference is. Banana Bread...is a cake?! Just because you can bake something in a loaf tin doesn't mean it can't be baked in a cake tin!

So anyway, this blog is going to teach you how to make a tasty Pumpkin Cake (well actually 2 cakes, so if you only want one try to half the ingredients.

You will need:

Either - 2 loaf tins (9x5") or 2 cake tins (medium size)

A mixing bowl

A set of cups (or a small-ish mug)

A set of measuring spoons

A grater

An electric whisk

Ingredients-wise you will need:

• 3.5 Cups of Plain Flour
• 2 tsp. Bicarbonate of Soda
• 1.5 tsp Salt
• 3 tsp. Cinnamon
• 2 tsp. Nutmeg
• 3 Cups Caster Sugar
• 4 Eggs Beaten
• 2 Cups Fresh Pumpkin OR 16 Ounces if using tinned Pumpkin
• 1/2 Cup of Water if Pumpkin is fresh OR 2/3 Cup of Water if Pumpkin is tinned
• 1 Cup Vegetable Oil
• 1 Cup Chopped Pecans (Optional)

It's incredibly easy to make.

1. Preheat your oven to 350F/180C and make sure tins are greased
2. Combine (Mix with a spoon) the dry ingredients (Flour, Bicarbonate of Soda, Salt, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Caster Sugar)

    3.  If using fresh pumpkin, chop into easy to hold pieces, peel (with a peeler) the orange            skin off and then grate the rest until you have 2 Cups worth. 

     4.  Add the wet ingredients (Beaten eggs, water, oil and of course the pumpkin) 

    5.  Stir until blended (if adding pecans, add them at this point and mix well)

   6.  Pour into tins and bake for 1 hour

Hopefully you will get something that looks a bit like this! I would recommend taking it out after an hour whether you think it's done or not - then leave it to cool still in the tin and so it will continue cooking a little bit then. You want the middle to be pretty moist so don't want to over-bake it.

You might be wondering what happened to the other cake...well I forgot to take a photo when I took them out of the oven and then I only brought one back to London with me. The other one looked just as good. 

Anyway - let me know how you get on.