Directions
There are some cakes that need no introduction because they speak for themselves, when the knife sinks in and the slice yields with that moist, gentle softness. This is one of them. The pumpkin adds body, the carrots bring earthy sweetness, the walnuts introduce a hint of wood and a psychedelic crunch. The result is a fragrant, crackling cake that stays soft even the next day—in fact, it’s even better the next day.
It’s a vegan cake, but it doesn’t look like it. It doesn’t seek substitutes, it doesn’t perform acrobatics. It works with natural balances: the vegetable sugars from the pumpkin and carrot retain moisture; the oil binds the structure; the yeast and the air incorporated during the kneading process create a soft and stable crumb. It’s proof that when the ingredients are well-treated, technique doesn’t need to be overdone.
Portions
8 servings
Ingredients
250 g cleaned pumpkin
120 g carrots (already cleaned)
220 g flour 0 (W 200–260)
120 g fine brown sugar
80 g coarsely chopped walnuts
80 ml seed oil (peanut or high oleic sunflower)
120 ml vegetable milk (unflavored soy or oat)
1 sachet of baking powder (16 g)
1 pinch of salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
Zest of ½ orange (untreated)
Preparation
Cook the pumpkin. Slice the pumpkin and steam or bake it until tender. Blend it until smooth. If it’s very moist, bake it for 5 minutes at 100°C to dry it out. (Moisture determines the final consistency.)
Grate the carrots. Grate them finely: they should disappear into the mixture, not feel like pieces.
Combine the wet ingredients. In a bowl: pumpkin puree, carrots, oil, plant-based milk, sugar, and orange zest. Mix slowly. The result should be a smooth, fragrant, and already “soft” base.
Combine the dry ingredients. Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon directly into the bowl. Mix from bottom to top, just enough to make it sticky. (Overmixing develops gluten; we don’t want an elastic crumb; we want a wrinkled interior.)
Add the walnuts. Add them last, mixing only once.
Baking. Pour into a 22–24 cm mould, static oven 175°C, 45–55 min. The toothpick should come out clean but slightly moist, not dry.
Resting. Let it cool completely before cutting. This is when the cake sets and the crumb becomes silky.
Nutritional values (per 100 g)
Energy: 310 kcal
Carbohydrates: 35 g
Protein: 4 g
Fat: 16 g
Fiber: 3 g
Wine pairing
A low-sugar passito: Moscato di Terracina Passito – Cantina Sant’Andrea, with measured sweetness, candied citrus, and salty herbs. They embrace each other, not overwhelm each other.
