Vegan Pumpkin Spice Loaf with Bourbon Glaze
 
Adapted from the Joy the Baker Cookbook
Ingredients
  • For the Pumpkin Pie Loaf
  • 400g plain flour
  • 250g light brown sugar
  • 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 400g fresh pumpkin puree
  • 250ml vegetable oil
  • 100g pure maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp bourbon (optional)
  • 70g pecans, chopped
  • To finish
  • 30g pecans
  • 70g icing sugar
  • 1 tbsp bourbon
  • 2 tbsp + 1 tsp water
Instructions
  1. To make pumpkin puree, peel and dice a culinary pumpkin or butternut squash then cook in boiling water for around 15 minutes until tender. Drain then blend with an immersion blender in a jug until smooth. Store wrapped in clingfilm for up to a week.
  2. Preheat the oven to 180oc/160oc fan and grease and line a 2 lb loaf tin. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, spices and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, oil, maple syrup, bourbon (or water if you prefer). Pour the wet mix into the dry and fold together, making sure to scoop up from the bottom of the bowl and stirring in any escaped flour. Once smooth, fold in the pecans and pour into the prepared tin.
  3. Bake for around 1 hour and cover with foil to stop it catching, then bake for a further 30-40 minutes. Check a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the middle of the cake before removing from the oven and leaving to cool in the tin for 10 minutes on a wire rack. Turn out and leave to cool completely.
  4. Place the pecans in a small saucepan over a medium heat and toast for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant. Pour onto a chopping board and roughly chop. Whisk the bourbon and water into the icing sugar then drizzle over the cooled cake, allowing it to drip down the sides. Scatter with the toasted pecans and serve once the glaze has hardened slightly.
Recipe by Victoria Sponge Pease Pudding at http://victoriaspongepeasepudding.com/baking/vegan-pumpkin-spice-loaf-with-bourbon-glaze/