Sweet crown pumpkin make a wonderful cake that is even better spiked with dried fruits, like dates, figs, raisins, prunes or apricots.

Ingredients

• 2 cups wholemeal flour
• ¾ cup sugar (white or brown)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg or mace
• ¼ cup oil
• ¼ cup milk
• 1 cup apple sauce
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup cold mashed pumpkin
• 10-12 juicy dried prunes, chopped
• Orange-scented cream cheese icing
• 125 grams cream cheese
• 3-4 tablespoons icing sugar
• grated rind of 1 orange

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Grease and line the base of a 20cm ring cake tin with baking paper.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the wholemeal flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and nutmeg or mace. Make a well in the centre.
3. In a large jug or bowl, whisk together the oil, milk, apple sauce, eggs and pumpkin. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir together gently with the prunes.
4. Turn into the prepared cake tin.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 50-60 minutes until a cake skewer inserted comes out clean. Stand for 10 minutes before turning out to cool on a cake rack. Ice when cold.
6. Orange-scented cream cheese icing
7. Beat together the cream cheese, icing sugar and lemon rind.

Cooks Tips

- Use a light flavoured oil for this cake such as rice bran, canola, light olive or sunflower oil. - Apple sauce can be bought, or to prepare it at home, cook 2 peeled and sliced apples in a little water. Drain and puree in a food processor until smooth. Pass through a sieve if wished. - Vary the flavour by using cooked pears pureed to a sauce.