Spiced Pumpkin Tea Bread

 

Spiced Pumpkin Tea Bread

Spiced Pumpkin Tea Bread

You may have guessed by now that I’m a big fan of Pumpkins! Whether you put them in pies, soups or even cakes pumpkin is a seriously versatile vegetable that is entirely underused in the UK. Today I’m sharing my yummy recipe for Pumpkin Spiced Tea Bread. You may recall it featuring in our Halloween celebrations and it’s still a firm favourite.

Tip. I’m starting this recipe with a tip because it’s annoyingly hard to find Pumpkins in UK supermarkets past October. If you can’t find any then don’t despair, Butternut Squash makes a fabulous substitute!

Ingredients

225g/ 8oz Self Raising Flour

240g/ 9oz Caster Sugar

225g/ 8oz Pumpkin Puree (or butternut squash)

125ml/ 4floz Olive Oil

60ml/ 2floz Water

1/2 Tsp Ground Nutmeg

1/2 Tsp Allspice

1/2 Tsp Ground Cloves

1/2 Tsp Ground Ginger

1 Tsp Ground Cinnamon

 

Begin by making your Pumpkin puree. There are two ways to do this, the first option is to roast the Pumpkin, see my full instructions on this post. You can also remove all the flesh from the inside using carving tools or even an ice cream scoop and then boil in water until soft. Puree using a blender and then strain through a sieve lined with kitchen paper for several hours. You should have more than enough puree to make this recipe at least twice.

In a large mixing bowl combine all the ingredients and mix until just combined.IMG_5144

Preheat your oven to 180C/ 350F/ Gas Mark 4 and bake for 50-55 minutes until golden and cooked through.

Leave to cool and serve in cut slices. It tastes very good with a little butter spread across the surface.

 

 

 

Spiced Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Icing

Spiced Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Icing

Spiced Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Icing

I absolutely adored the cupcakes we had for our Halloween party recently, they’re squidgy and moreish thanks to the wonderful winter spices and the cinnamon icing might just be the best thing ever! Today I’m going to share the recipe for Spiced Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Icing.

Ingredients

3oz/ 85g Butter or Margarine

8oz/ 225g White Sugar

8oz/ 225g Brown Sugar

2 Eggs

180ml Milk

8oz/ 225g Pumpkin Puree (you can use canned or freshly made)

10oz Self Raising Flour

1 heaped Tsp Ground Cinnamon

1/2 Tsp Ground Ginger

1/2 Tsp Nutmeg

1/2 Tsp Ground Cloves

1/2 Tsp Allspice

 

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Icing

1 standard tub of Cream Cheese (usually about 225g)

2oz/ 50g Butter

Icing Sugar

1 Tsp Vanilla Extract

1 heaped Tsp Ground Cinnamon

 

Method

First cream together the white sugar, brown sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Then add in the eggs one at a time mixing thoroughly.

Now stir in the milk and pumpkin puree until combined.

Sift the flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, ground cloves and allspice into the mixture. Fold the flour into the mixture using a large spoon until just combined.

Now fill 23-24 cupcake cases or approx. 15 muffin cases with the batter.

Bake in a preheated oven 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4 for about 20 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack.

Icing

The trick to cream cheese icing is not to over mix, if you do you’ll end up with a delicious runny icing but it’s no good for piping on a cake. Either use an electric mixer on low speed or mix by hand.

Mix together the butter and cream cheese until just combined. Next add in the vanilla extract and cinnamon.

I haven’t put a quantity for the icing sugar because I think it’s better to test your icing by taste and texture. Add icing sugar and mix gently until you like the sweetness and your icing can hold together sufficiently to be iced onto your cooled cupcakes.

 

 

 

 

Rachel’s Organic Apple & Cinnamon Yogurt & Apple & Cinnamon Fudge Recipe!

As any longtime reader of this blog will know I’m a huge fan of Rachel’s Organic yogurts. Last Christmas we made their fabulous Christmas Ice Cream Bombe, so when I heard they had brought out a new Limited Edition yogurt I was only too keen to try it. We also created our own recipe using the new flavour, Apple & Cinnamon Fudge!

The brand new Apple & Cinnamon yogurt is unfortunately a limited edition. I say unfortunately because it’s absolutely delicious and I could happily have a pot in my fridge at all times. The fresh tang of apple mixed with the dreamy creamy yogurt and spice of cinnamon is like Christmas in a pot! I sincerely believe that everyone should try this new flavour before they lose the opportunity, it’s just that yummy!

I love the Rachel’s Organic website for the recipes they provide, so I eagerly browsed for a recipe using my favourite new flavour. When I discovered that none existed I turned to my husband and his fudge making skills and he created this scrumptious Apple & Cinnamon fudge.


Festive Apple & Cinnamon Fudge

5 Tbsp Double Cream

5 Tbsp Rachel’s Organic Apple & Cinnamon Yogurt

25g Unsalted Butter

450g Granulated Sugar

Heat the cream, sugar and butter in a pan on a low heat until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add the yogurt and heat until 120C, making sure to continue stirring while heating so the mixture does not catch on the bottom of the pan. Remove the pan from the heat and beat until the mixture begins to thicken. Pour into a prepared pan and leave to cool.