by Heather Thomas
from The Squash and Pumpkin Cookbook
Makes a 900g/2lb loaf
Total 1hr 20min Prep 20min Cook 1hr
This easy and healthy tea loaf is packed packed with fresh pumpkin, walnuts, dried apricots, and ground almonds. It can also be made with butternut squash.
Introduction
This tea loaf is moist, healthy and delicious. If you wish, you can forget the frosting and just dust it with icing sugar. You can enjoy it sliced and plain, or spread with butter at breakfast or teatime, or as a snack.
Ingredients
butter, for greasing
200g/7oz (1 cup) light brown sugar
4 medium free-range eggs, separated
250g/9oz pumpkin, peeled, deseeded and grated
grated zest and juice of 1 small orange
A few drops of vanilla extract
75g/3oz (generous ½ cup) chopped walnuts
75g/3oz (½ cup) ready-to-eat dried apricots, chopped
200g/7oz (2 cups) self-raising (self-rising) flour
A pinch of sea salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground ginger
100g/3½oz (⅔ cup) ground almonds
For the orange drizzle:
125g/4oz (1 cup) icing (confectioner’s) sugar
2 tbsp orange juice
grated zest of ½ orange
Essential kit
You will need: a 900g/2lb loaf tin (pan)
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 170°C/325°F/gas mark 3. Lightly grease and line a 900g/2lb loaf tin (pan) with baking parchment.
2. In a bowl, beat together the sugar and egg yolks until fluffy, pale and creamy. Add the grated pumpkin, along with the orange zest and juice, vanilla, walnuts and apricots. Sift the flour, salt and spices and fold into the mixture, along with the ground almonds, moving the spoon in a figure-of-eight movement.
3. In a clean, dry bowl, beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks, then fold gently into the pumpkin mixture. Do not beat or overmix.
4. Spoon the mixture into the lined tin and bake for 50–60 minutes, or until well risen and golden brown. You can check whether the cake is cooked by inserting a thin skewer into the middle – it should come out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then turn out and cool completely on a wire rack.
5. To make the orange drizzle, mix the icing sugar and orange juice together in a bowl until smooth. Drizzle over the top of the loaf and then scatter over the orange zest. Leave to set.
6. Cut into slices to serve. The loaf will keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, or in a cool place for 2–3 days.
OR YOU CAN TRY THIS…
– Use raisins, dates or dried cranberries instead of apricots.
– Use chopped pecans, hazelnuts or almonds.