Baking with pumpkin

PUMPKIN has permanent resident status in the vegetable draws in our fridges, we use it for a myriad or ways here in the Caribbean, in pepper sauces, for thickening our stewed peas. It’s a staple ingredient in soups and as a soup, it’s added to rice cook-ups and is especially good in bringing texture and flavour to a pot of pelau and of course it brings beautiful colour and moistness to pone.

Pumpkin is also a special ingredient when used in baking, although soft on flavour it brings moistness and gives a lovely tender texture to all baked treats. When using pumpkin for baking, there is no need to cook, simply peel, and grate or shred finely, then measure.

Keep in mind also that pumpkin is high in nutrient content, particularly rich in vitamin A, it is packed with vitamins, and beta-carotene and low in caloric content.

Pumpkin yoghurt loaf

½ cup unsalted butter

1 cup brown sugar

4 eggs

3 cups shredded uncooked pumpkin

⅔ cup un-flavoured yoghurt

2 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour

1 cup spelt flour

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground nutmeg

⅔ cups raisins

⅔ cups coarsely chopped nuts (optional)

½ cup toasted pumpkin seeds, optional (divided into 2)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottoms only of 2 loaf pans, 9x5x3 inches.

In a large mixing bowl beat butter and sugar until creamy.

Add eggs one at a time and continue beating until light coloured.

Add pumpkin and yoghurt, combine.

In a separate bowl mix flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices.

Add to pumpkin mixture, mix only until combined.

Stir in nuts and raisins and ½ pumpkin seeds, and pour into pans.

Sprinkle with remaining seeds.

Bake until wooden pick inserted into the centre comes out clean, about 45-50 minutes.

Cool slightly, and loosen sides of loaves from pans.

Remove from pans and cool completely before slicing.

To store wrap and refrigerate no longer than 10 days or freeze.

Makes 2 loaves

WI spiced pumpkin pancakes

1⅓ cups milk

1 tbs lime or lemon juice

1¼ cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp grated nutmeg

¼ tsp cloves

¼ cup sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

¼ cup butter, melted

¾ cup pureed pumpkin

Combine milk with lemon or lime juice.

Let stand for 10 mins.

Place all the dry ingredients into a bowl, add sugar.

Beat eggs with vanilla, add butter, pumpkin and milk.

Fold into dry ingredients.

Heat a non-stick frying pan to medium heat, lightly grease and drop batter buy ⅓ cup into pan ,wait until surface shows lots of holes.

Flip and cook for a few mins longer.

Remove to a clean towel, and repeat.

Serve with nutmeg syrup or honey.

Makes pancakes 6

Pumpkin spice cake

3 cups all- purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp grated nutmeg

¼ tsp ground all spice

¼ tsp ground cloves

1 tsp powdered ginger

½ tsp salt

1 cup unsalted butter

1½ cups sugar

½ cup brown sugar

3 eggs

2 cups finely-grated (uncooked) pumpkin

2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 325F

Grease and flour a 12-cup Bundt pan.

Sift flour then add baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves and ginger powder.

Cream butter with sugars until light and fluffy, add eggs one at a time beating well.

Add flour mixture alternately with pumpkin.

Add vanilla.

Spoon into baking pan and bake for about 60 minutes until tester inserted near centre comes out clean.

Cool for 20 minutes in the pan before turning out.

Sprinkle with icing sugar.

Serves 10 to 12