spiced pumpkin and dark chocolate cake

A spiced pumpkin cake with swirls of dark chocolate and chocolate chips.  This cake tastes like Christmas to me and reminds me of lebkuchen (German/East European spiced gingerbread cakes) and stem ginger covered in dark chocolate.  The dark chocolate and sweet pumpkin works brilliantly together in this warmly spiced cake - perfect for the cold weather and a great alternative to a traditional Christmas cake. 

ingredients:
3 cups plain flour
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup oil
3 eggs
1 tin (425g) pumpkin puree (you could make your own from cooked and blended pumpkin/sweet potato)
200g dark chocolate (I used 80% cocoa - you can use a lower strength - but it does need to be dark chocolate with a high cocoa content)
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp ginger
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp nutmeg

preparation time:  20 minutes
cooking time:  45-60 minutes

• preheat the oven to 175C and grease and flour your tin - I used a 26cm bundt pan

• in a large bowl add the eggs, oil and sugar and whisk for a few minutes until the mix is light and airy.

• add the pumpkin puree and mix for another minute

• sieve in the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, spices, salt and stir in carefully until it is all well mixed.

• in a separate bowl melt 100g of chocolate either over a bain marie or in short bursts in the microwave (it always takes less time than you think - I check after every 10-20 seconds until it is melted).
• chop/break into chunks the remaining 100g of chocolate 
• separate the cake mixture into 2 bowls and into one mix the melted chocolate and the other the chocolate chunks.

• spoon the mixture alternately into your prepared tin - smooth the top and bake for 45-60 minutes

• it is cooked when a skewer comes out clean

• leave to cool for a few minutes in the tin before turning out onto a wire rack
• leave until completely cool before cutting into slices.

sweet potato, banana and hazelnut bread

A lovely moist spiced loaf made with bananas, sweet potato and hazelnuts. Sort of like banana bread but with added goodies!  This is great for breakfast and also for an afternoon snack.  Another way of using up over ripe bananas. 

 

preparation time:  15-45 minutes (depending on whether you are cooking the sweet potato first)

cooking time:  30-40 minutes

 

 

 

 

 

ingredients:

 

2 medium sweet potatoes (leftover cooked sweet potato would be great here but I cooked from fresh for this recipe)

2 over ripe bananas

2 eggs

1/4 cup sunflower/vegetable oil

1/2 cup whole hazelnuts

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cup plain flour

1 tsp baking soda

11/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp allspice (pimento)

 

 

 

 

• preheat oven to 190C and grease a loaf tin
• if you are cooking the sweet potato, wash and either bake in the oven for about 30 minutes or in the microwave for 5-10 minutes until soft.
• when cool enough to handle scoop out sweet potato, mash and leave to cool for about 5-10 minutes.

• when the the potato is cool add to a bowl with the bananas, sugar, oil, eggs and mix together with a wooden spoon or an electric whisk for a few minutes until well combined

 

 

• sift in the flour, baking powder and soda, and spices and mix briefly until combined

 

• stir in the hazelnuts and then pour mixture into the prepared tin

 

 

 

 

• bake for 30-40 minutes - the bread is cooked when a skewer comes out clean.
• leave to cool in the tin for a few minutes before leaving on a rack to cool. 

 

• leave until completetly cool before cutting into slices - I hope you enjoy :)

 

 

 

Polish honey and spice gingerbread (piernik)

 

Here is my version of the traditional Polish piernik - a gingerbread flavoured with honey and spices- perfect for Thanksgiving and Christmas. This gingerbread lasts for at least a week and also seems to improve in flavour over time when the spices have had chance to mix and mingle. This would also makes a great food gift during this festive season. I hope you enjoy!

 

 

ingredients:

1 cup honey

1 cup black coffee

8 oz butter

1 cup brown sugar

3 eggs

3 tsp baking powder

4 cups plain (all purpose) flour

1 lemon zested

1 tsp all spice (pimento)

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground cinnamon

 

 

preparation time: 20 minutes

cooking time: 30-40 minutes 

• preheat oven to 190C and grease/line a baking pan. I used a 9x12 pan, but you can also make this in a loaf tin.

• add honey, coffee, sugar, butter and spices to a saucepan and mix over a gentle heat until the sugar has dissolved and the butter melted. Leave to cool for a while you prepare the other ingredients.

 

• break eggs into a bowl and add the lemon zest and whisk for a few minutes until bubbly

• slowly pour in the melted butter, sugar and honey mixture onto the whisked eggs and keep beating for a few minutes until fully incorporated. Be careful not to add the melted mixture too quickly as this may curdle the eggs

 

 

• add sifted flour and baking powder to the wet mixture and stir well to incorporate - pour into greased baking tin

• bake for 30-40 minutes - it is ready when a skewer/tooth pick comes out clean.

• leave to cool completely before cutting into squares

 

• eat and share with your nearest and dearest :)