Spiced Pumkin Apricot Cake

Co-operation makes it happen. I borrowed that line from Sesame Street. In my case this week, co-operation makes a spiced pumpkin apricot cake.

At the Honest 2 Goodness Market in Glasnevin co-operation is the general sentiment. It's a lovely spot to spend a Saturday because it is frequented by people (customers and fellow stall holders) that are great fun to shoot the breeze with. And the food.... nom nom nom... the food. I am typing one handed right now because the other hand is occupied by a slice of Anaconda bread from the H2G stall, smothered in Sicilian pesto from the Real Olive Co. stall.

My neighbour here is a wonderful organic grower, Rosie. Last week Rosie gifted me a gigantor green pumpkin. "See if you can do something with it," she said. Rosie grew the pumpkin, I cooked it down to a puree and baked it with some apricot, butter, sugar, eggs, flour and spices...we made a collaborative cake.

Did you know that pumpkins have 33% more potassium than bananas? Now you know. And knowing is half the battle. I borrowed that line from G.I. Joe.

Other interesting pumpkin facts:

• eating pumpkins helps reduce your risk of stroke
• eating pumpkins help maintain bone density
• pumpkins are chock full of beta carotene and Vitamin A
• Pumpkin Chucking is a sport where teams build various mechanical devices (i.e. catapults and cannons) designed to throw a pumpkin as far as possible. If you can get yourself to Delaware for the American Thanksgiving World Pumpkin Chucking Championship, I would guess you would be in for the best night of your life.

I started with this pumpkin

It was pretty pulpy, but I saved the seeds for drying out and snacking on later

 

I peeled and chunked up the pupmkin, layed the pieces on a single layer on a baking tray, drizzled some honey on top and baked them at 180 for an hour

Rosie tasting the fruit of our combined labour

Recipe for Spiced Pumpkin and Apricot Cake

• 360g cream flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 100g apricots
• 50g cooked pumpkin
• 70g buttermilk
• 180g butter
• 300g granulated sugar sugar
• 3 free range eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

Place the cooked pumpkin, apricots and buttermilk in the food processor and blend until the mixture is a smooth puree. 

Sieve the flour, cinnamon, allspice, baking powder, baking soda and salt together.

Beat the butter and sugar until light. Add the eggs one at a time. Add the vanilla and mix.

Fold in the flour mixture alternating with the pumpkin mixture.

Pour the batter into a lined 10" tin and bake at 180 for 1 hour.


Recipe for Cream Cheese frosting

100g butter
600g icing sugar, sieved
250g cream cheese

Directions:

Beat the butter and icing sugar at low speed until the mixture looks like fine crumbs. Add in the cream cheese. Beat at low speed until combined, then bring up the speed to high and let the machine run for 3 minutes.

When the cake is completely cooled, slice in half and frost the middle & top. I sprinkled some toasted chopped hazelnuts on top for decoration.

 A bientot,

Caryna, of Caryna's Cakes

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