Eggless Pumpkin Cake

Making of Pumpkin Cake!

It was birthday of my husband. I wanted to quickly bake a simple cake. I had a piece of tender fresh pumpkin in my refrigerator. I did not think again, just grabbed it and started working on it. It did not disappoint me as the result was that spongy, yummy golden colour cake. My husband liked this cake as much he likes this veggie! I also got a positive feedback from my sister on this. I baked my first cake 9 years back on same day. That was a carrot cake when we were in Germany!  That turned out delicious too.

 

Ingredients:

Grated pumpkin – 1 cup tightly packed

Whole wheat flour – ¾ Cup

Fine Rava/ Small Semolina– ¼ Cup

Maida/ All-purpose flour – 1 Cup

Sugar – ¾ Cup

Milk + Curds – ½ Cup, 1:1 proportion or bit more of milk

Oil/ Melted butter – ¼ cup (I used combination of Coconut oil and Ghee)

Cinnamon powder – ¼ teaspoon

Nutmeg powder – 2 pinches (optional)

Chopped Nuts (Cashew, Almonds) – 1 tbsp (optional)

Baking powder – 1/4 teaspoon

Baking soda – 1/4 teaspoon

Salt -1/4 teaspoon or a pinch

Method:

Prepare a 8x8 inch square cake tray or a 9inch round tray. Apply a teaspoon of ghee all over the bottom and sides, keep aside.

Choose tender & fresh pumpkin to yield a tastier cake. Peel off the skin of pumpkin and grate it. Take these gratings in a large mixing bowl (1 cup tightly packed). Add the dry ingredients such as wheat flour, maida, fine rava, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and the spice powders cinnamon & nutmeg to the grated pumpkin. Mix well with a flat mixing spoon.  Add Oil/Ghee and mix again. Add milk and curds mixture little at a time to adjust the consistency. It should not be too watery or runny but of dropping consistency. Add chopped nuts. Mix thoroughly the whole mixture. You need not beat it too fast.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 180 deg C. Pour the prepared mix into the cake tray. Place in the oven and bake for about 25-30 minutes. Once done, allow to cool for 5-10 minutes. Invert the cake on a clean plate. 

Cut and serve as plain cake. It also tastes good with peanut butter spread on it.

Notes while baking:

1. The baking time changes from oven to oven. It also depends on the size of the cake tray (pan).
2. In order to avoid burning, set time to 20 minutes at first. Insert a fork or toothpick. Cake is done if the fork is coming out clean and the top color is golden brown. If not baked properly, set 5-10 minutes more and bake again.