Small sugar pumpkins yield a sweet purée that is the base of this lovely autumn cake.
If you can’t find them, butternut squash is a great substitute. The rum syrup brushed
over the cake adds a little extra zip.
HANDS-ON TIME
35 minutes
TOTAL TIME
3½ hours
MAKES
10 to 12 servings
INGREDIENTS:
CAKE
- ¾ cup chopped pecans
- 1⅔ cups packed brown sugar
- ¼ cup butter, softened, or vegetable oil
- 3 eggs
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- 2 cups Roasted Pumpkin or Squash Purée (below)
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1¾ tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp each baking soda and ground ginger
- ¾ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp each nutmeg and ground allspice
SYRUP
- ¼ cup butter
- ⅔ cup packed brown sugar
- ¼ cup dark rum
DIRECTIONS
CAKE:
- On baking sheet, toast pecans in 350°F (180°C) oven until fragrant, about 8 minutes; let cool.
- Stir pecans with 2 tbsp of the brown sugar; sprinkle over greased and flour-dusted 10-inch (3 L) Bundt pan.
- In large bowl, beat remaining brown sugar with butter; beat in eggs, 1 at a time.
- Beat in oil until fluffy. Beat in pumpkin until smooth.
- Whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, ginger, salt, nutmeg and allspice; stir into egg mixture.
- Scrape into prepared pan; tap pan on counter to remove air bubbles. Smooth top.
- Bake in 350°F (180°C) oven until cake tester inserted in centre comes out clean, about 50 minutes.
- Let cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes. Transfer cake to rack.
SYRUP:
- In small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.
- Stir in brown sugar and 3 tbsp water; boil until sugar is dissolved and syrup is thickened, 3 minutes.
- Stir in rum; boil for 1 minute. Brush over cake.
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION, PER EACH OF 12 SERVINGS:
- about 550 cal, 5 g pro, 28 g total fat (7 g sat. fat), 67 g carb, 3 g fibre, 67 mg chol, 388 mg sodium, 311 mg potassium.
- % RDI: 8% calcium, 22% iron, 89% vit A, 3% vit C, 30% folate.
ROASTED PUMPKIN OR SQUASH PURÉE:
- Halve and seed 1 sugar pumpkin (about 1 kg) or 1 butternut squash (about 900 g).
- Prick skin all over with fork.
- Roast, cut side down, on rack on foil-lined rimmed baking sheet in 350°F (180°C) oven until flesh is browned and tender, 60 to 75 minutes.
- Let cool. Scoop out flesh; discard skin.
- In food processor, purée flesh.
- (Make-ahead: Refrigerate in airtight container for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 weeks.)
- MAKES about 2 cups.
