Don’t throw those Halloween pumpkins away! Make a delicious Pumpkin Spiced Latte Loaf Cake instead!

With Halloween just around the corner, we’re super excited for a night filled with trick-or-treating! (or, for some of us, cosying up with a mug of hot chocolate while rewatching Hocus Pocus!) Have you heard that our amazing head chimps, Andy and Laura, actually grow their own pumpkins for this season? How awesome is that? They definitely deserve ten green points!

As the spooky season rolls in, so does the delightful Pumpkin Spice craze! We’re super excited to join in with another tasty bake. And the best part? You can use your carved pumpkins instead of tossing them in the bin and sending them to a landfill! High five!

 

Sliced Pumpkin Latte Loaf Cake

What is Pumpkin Spice?

These days, when you think of pumpkin spice, you might picture the popular PSL (Pumpkin Spice Latte). But guess what? This cosy spice blend has a history that goes way beyond just coffee, and we aren’t just talking about the past 20 years. This spice mix goes back over two centuries (223 years, to be precise)! Pretty crazy, right?

The term “Pumpkin Spice” comes from the delicious mix of spices used to make Pumpkin Pie! Traditionally, this tasty blend includes cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and a few other spices. Pumpkin Pie has been a beloved dish in America for ages, with its recipes popping up in cookbooks from 1796! But it really became the worldwide sensation we know and love today thanks to companies like Thompson & Taylor Spice Co, which introduced the first Pumpkin Spice sachet mix in the 1930s. Isn’t that cool?

But what does this have to do with this recipe? Read on, friends, read on.

What does this have to do with leftover Halloween pumpkins?

With all the excitement around pumpkin spice, we couldn’t help but get creative with those Halloween pumpkins! We’re super passionate about being eco-friendly and saving as much as we can from ending up in landfills. So, guess what? We whipped up a tasty recipe that we’re really excited to share with you!

Get ready to fall in love with our Pumpkin Spiced Latte Loaf Cake! This wonderfully moist treat transforms your leftover Halloween creations into something downright irresistible (seriously, you’ll be asking for seconds!). Made with a delightful blend of traditional pumpkin spice mix, cinnamon, ginger, and mixed spices, it’s topped off with creamy, smooth cream cheese icing. We’re drooling!

Ingredients

Pumpkin Puree

  • 1 medium-sized pumpkin (needs to make 425g of purée!)

For the Loaf:

  • Your homemade pumpkin purée (425g)
  • 2 British Eggs
  • 100ml vegetable oil
  • Double espresso (or 100ml strong brewed coffee)
  • 125g caster sugar
  • 125g light brown sugar
  • 250g plain flour
  • 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 tsp mixed spice
  • 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ground ginger

For the coffee syrup:

  • Double espresso (or 60ml strong brewed coffee)
  • 50g caster sugar

For the icing:

  • 50g icing sugar
  • 100g cream cheese
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 250ml double cream
  • Ground cinnamon for dusting

Recipe:

Pumpkin Puree

  1. Preheat the oven to 200ºC, 180ºC fan assisted, gas mark 6.
  2. Slice the pumpkin in half and remove all the seeds and pulp.
  3. Place on a lined baking sheet (facing down or up) and bake for 45-60 minutes until the pumpkin is soft to the touch and the flesh pulls away from the skin.
  4. Leave the pumpkins to cool for 15-30 minutes before using two spoons to peel the flesh of the skin.
  5. Add the flesh to a blender or food processor and blitz until a smooth puree forms.
  6. Set aside for the loaf mixture.

The Loaf Cake

  1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC, 160ºC fan assisted, gas mark 4. Line a 900g loaf tin with baking paper.
  2. Whisk the pumpkin purée, eggs, oil, coffee, caster sugar and light brown sugar in a large bowl until combined.
  3. Mix the flour, bicarbonate of soda, salt and spices in another bowl.
  4. Using a metal spoon, fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until a smooth batter forms.
  5. Pour into the tin and bake for 60-80 minutes until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Leave in the tin while you make the coffee syrup.

 

Coffee Syrup

  1. Add the coffee and sugar to a small saucepan and warm over low heat until the sugar has dissolved.
  2. Once the sugar grains have disappeared, bring to a slight boil and simmer for 2-3 minutes until thick and syrupy. Keep watch, as this can burn easily if it is too hot!
  3. Poke holes into your cake and pour just over half of the syrup on the cake.
  4. Set aside the rest of the syrup (this will be used later!)

The Icing

  1. Use an electric whisk to mix the icing sugar, cream cheese and vanilla extract until smooth.
  2. Slowly add the double cream, continually whisking until the icing is thick and soft peaks form.
  3. Ensure your cake is cool before removing from the tin. Next, pile the icing on top before using the back of a spoon to spread the icing all over.
  4. Pour your remaining coffee syrup on top and dust with cinnamon.

What is the best coffee to use to ensure you get the ‘latte’ aspect?

Check this out!

Charlotte Dibble

Meet the chimp behind this article!
Charlotte joined Two Chimps after completing her BA Hons in Graphic Communication and Illustration at Loughborough University. She also earned two diplomas: Art and Design Foundation and Professional Studies.

What Charlotte does outside of the treehouse:
In her spare time, Charlotte is a keen baker and loves to bring delicious treats for the team to enjoy during their Monday tea break. Charlotte likes to practice her drawing and painting skills to relax, usually with one of her cats sitting on her lap to keep her company!

Charlotte says…
“I’m thrilled to join the Two Chimps Troop after five years of studying. I get to write blogs, design, manage social media, and connect with our amazing customers every day. It’s always exciting, and I learn something new every day!”

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