From the chefs of Chalk

Spiced Squash Cake

A warming and seriously yummy cake from Chef Andrew.

  • Takes: 60 minutes
  • Serves: 8 people
Spiced Squash Cake

Ingredients

  • 3 Medium eggs
  • 100g Dark muscovado sugar
  • 100g Caster sugar
  • 50g Unsalted butter
  • 100g Vegetable oil
  • 200g Plain flour
  • 2 1/2 tsp Baking powder
  • 2 tsp Ground Allspice
  • 1 Orange
  • 1 Crown Prince or Butternut squash
  • 70g Raisins
  • 70g Pecan nuts (optional)

Method

  1. Preheat your oven to 160°C, and line a 9 inch loose bottomed cake tin with greaseproof paper.
  2. Start by preparing the squash. Carefully peel, and divide into quarters. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. Coarsely grate the squash until you have 300g - this is what you need for the cake. The rest can be saved for another dish.
  3. Gently melt the butter in a pan, and allow to cool. Whisk the oil into the butter, and set aside.
  4. Mix the flour, baking powder and ground allspice together, and pass through a sieve.
  5. Zest the orange, and add that to 50g of the juice.
  6. Add the sugars and eggs to the bowl of a mixer and whisk until light and fluffy. Slowly add the butter and oil mixture, making sure it is fully combined. Gradually add the flour mixture until it is all incorporated. Mix in the orange juice and zest. By hand, gently fold in the grated squash, raisins and pecans (if using).
  7. Spoon the mixture into the cake tin and bake for 40 – 50 minutes. Check the cake is ready, by inserting a skewer into the middle. When the skewer comes out clean, place the tin on a rack and allow to cool.