Halloween Cake

I won't ramble much because I'm way behind on my deadline and I already talked about this cake last year in a fair amount of detail, but I'm posting it again because it has become a favourite.

You can read more about it here. Otherwise I'll keep things brief and just post the recipe, and a photo. Complete with some pretty pink pomegranate seeds (homegrown!) and a curious cat, Esmeralda.

Recipe

1 medium sized squash – use a Delica or Onion squash, other varieties tend to be too watery. Butternut would also be ok.

230g squash puree (from above squash – see method)

230ml olive oil

230g plain flour

3 tsp baking powder

Grated zest of 3 clementines or 1 large orange

1 tsp salt

230g sugar

3 eggs

180g dark (70%) chocolate, roughly chopped

For the glaze:

150g icing sugar

1.5 tbsp orange/clementine juice

1.5 tbsp olive oil

Orange zest/pomegranate seeds to decorate

Heat the oven to 220. Cut the squash down the middle, scoop out the seeds and place it cut-side-down on a non-stick baking tray (you can line with baking paper if you prefer – there may be some sticky caramelised squash bits to scrub). Roast until totally soft, around 30-45 minutes (it will magically steam itself).

Scrape the flesh away from the skin and puree in a blender until smooth.

Measure out 230g of the puree (use the rest as you see fit) and let it cool.

Lower the oven heat to 170 and butter a large bundt tin well. (Paint it with melted butter and a pastry brush to make sure you get every crevice, or you can use a baking spray if you prefer).

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl. In a separate bowl whisk the oil, sugar, squash puree, clementine zest and eggs together. Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture and whisk in the wet ingredients until you have a smooth batter. Stir in the chocolate pieces.

Pour into the prepared loaf tin and bake for up to 1 and a half hours, until an inserted skewer comes out clean.

Allow to cool before turning out.

Mix the orange juice with the icing sugar until you have a glaze the consistency of honey. Whisk in the oil and then pour over the cooled cake. Decorate with pom seeds or orange zest, or with extra chocolate shards/cacao nibs.