PUMPKIN CAKE

The book would not be complete without this recipe, and indeed it is a fitting conclusion. It’s one of the first recipes I ever made, drawn from my baker Nan’s handwritten cookbook so many years ago. It is as popular with all the family as it ever was, and has won over even sworn pumpkin haters.

Serves 8–10

         250g butter

         1 cup sugar

         ¾ teaspoon natural lemon essence or 2–3 teaspoons finely grated lemon rind

         2 eggs

         1 cup cold mashed pumpkin

         1 cup plain flour

         1 cup self-raising flour

         375–500g mixed dried fruit

Preheat the oven to 150°C. Grease a 20–23cm deep round cake tin and line the base with baking paper.

Whisk the butter, sugar and lemon essence or rind together, then whisk in the eggs. With a metal spoon, mix in the pumpkin, then the combined flours until the cake batter is smooth. Fold in the dried fruit. Spoon the batter into the tin, making sure there are no air pockets. Level out the mixture with the back of a spoon, leaving a slight concave in the centre.

Bake for 1–1½ hours or until a metal skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin.

Afterwards store in an airtight container or wrapped in foil. If possible, leave the cake for a few days before eating. It will keep for 2 weeks.