Pumpkin is a very versatile ingredient, with a high sugar content that makes it perfect for adding natural sweetness to your cooking. Having baked with pumpkin before (see this pumpkin pie post)  I love how it lends a vivid orange tint to baked treats, and using it in this way means that the refined sugar content of the recipe is nowhere near as high as it would be in something like a chocolate cake, for example.

This is where the idea of a savoury cake emerges. Or, to be more accurate, a savoury loaf. The recipe uses oil instead of butter, spiced with warm ginger and allspice – similar to the other classic vegetable cake, the carrot cake. But, instead of having to slave away at the grater for hours on end (arguably the most time-consuming part of making a carrot cake), instead pumpkin is steamed and then mashed before mixing in to the loaf batter.

To make it just that little bit better for you, we substituted half the flour for the wholemeal variety, which makes for a denser, more wholesome crumb, and flaked almonds on top add both a decorative and textural touch.

This loaf is delicious on its own, but even better with a dollop of double cream on top and a cup of hot tea. You could even toast it and spread with butter or honey for a bread-like snack. A wonderful, chewy golden crust forms during its hour-long bake in the oven, and the aromas which escape from the oven once it’s done are heavenly.

Ginger-spiced Pumpkin Loaf

Adapted from this recipe

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