Pumpkin pound cake made with the sweetness of kabocha is perfect for any season.
ABOUT PUMPKIN POUND CAKE
I’m in my pound cake era, I fear. By now I’ve made three pound cake recipes, but, this pumpkin pound cake may be my favorite pound cake recipe I’ve made! The warm and comforting flavors of the pumpkin and brown sugar remind me of autumn even as spring is approaching. For this recipe, I used kabocha for my pumpkin. I really enjoy the nice earthy sweetness of kabocha, so I like to use it often! However, you can use whatever pumpkin you like! Like my other pound cake recipes, this recipe makes one small loaf, so it’s a good size for experimenting with a variety of pumpkin purées. You can enjoy this pumpkin pound cake with some cream cheese frosting and/or with a side of tea. No matter how you serve it up, I hope you enjoy it! ♡
MATERIALS
- ☆ Loaf pan (10×18.7×4.8cm)
INGREDIENTS (+ SUBSTITUTIONS)
This is a basic list and explanation of the key ingredients. For full list and measurements, please scroll down to the recipe below!
- ☆ Butter
- I used unsalted butter, but you can also use salted butter!
- ☆ Light brown sugar
- We use light brown sugar because it has less molasses than dark brown sugar, so the warm flavor will pair with the pumpkin but not too strongly. If you only have dark brown sugar and granulated sugar, you can make light brown sugar by mixing them in a 1:1 ratio by volume.
- ☆ Honey
- Honey has a unique taste that compliments the pumpkin. It also adds more sweetness and moisture to the batter.
- ☆ Egg
- I only used one egg (about 50g) even though the ratio would not be 1:1 with the butter since a lot of moisture would also be coming from the pumpkin purée.
- ☆ Pumpkin purée
- For this recipe, I made the purée with kabocha, but you can use any kind of pumpkin based on your taste.
- ☆ Flour
- You can use either cake flour or all-purpose flour for this recipe. I used cake flour, but that was just my preference!
- ☆ Baking powder
- Baking powder is a leavening agent which gives the pound cake rise.
- ☆ Pumpkin seeds
- The pumpkin seeds are for topping the pound cake, so it’s not too important for this recipe. It adds nice textural diversity. You can omit this or substitute it with other nuts, seeds, etc.
MAKING THE PUMPKIN PURÉE
You can use store bought pumpkin purée, or you can make it yourself! Because I used kabocha, I had to make the purée myself. There are a few ways you can do this:
- Steaming: Cut the kabocha in half and remove the seeds. Then, cut the kabocha into thick slices and place in a steaming basket lined with parchment. Depending on the size of the kabocha, it will take 10 to 12 minutes to cook. Once it’s soft enough to poke a skewer through, remove from the heat and let cool. Once cool enough to handle, remove the skin and blend in a food processor or mash with a fork, masher, etc.
- Baking: Cut the kabocha in half and remove the seeds, then place the cut sides down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake in an oven heated to 180°C/356°F for 30-40 minutes or until soft. Let cool on the sheet. Once cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh from the skin and blend in a food processor or mash with a fork, masher, etc.
- Microwave: Cut the kabocha and remove the seeds, then cut into medium sized cubes. Cut off the skin and place the kabocha into a bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and poke holes for ventilation. Microwave for 6 minutes or until very soft. Let it cool down until it’s cool enough to handle, but still a little warm and steaming. Blend in a food processor or mash with a fork, masher, etc.
No matter which method you do, you can store it in a freezer storage bag and keep it in the freezer for a month. This way you will also have kabocha purée ready to use for other recipes. If you need some recipe ideas to use the kabocha purée, try out my pumpkin scones, pumpkin soup, and pumpkin bagel recipes!
TIPS FOR MAKING PUMPKIN POUND CAKE
- ☆ Depending on the moisture of your pumpkin purée, the pound cake may end up a bit dry or not hold together well. If your batter is pretty thick, you can add a little vegetable oil to help with the moisture. If it’s too runny, you can add some flour bit by bit. The batter should be thick enough that it’s scoopable and sticky but not runny.
- ☆ Pound cakes have a better texture when you let them mature overnight. You can do this by wrapping the pound cake in plastic wrap or by simply placing it in a large resealable plastic bag and squeezing out the excess air. Then you can enjoy it the next day!
MORE POUND CAKE RECIPES! ♡
MORE PUMPKIN RECIPES! ♡
If you recreate this Pumpkin Pound Cake recipe, please let me know by tagging me or leaving a comment on Instagram @maruryouri or TikTok @atsuryouri. I’d love to see your creations and hear your feedback!
Pumpkin Pound Cake
Equipment
- Loaf pan (10×18.7×4.8cm)
Ingredients
- 100 g unsalted butter
- 60 g light brown sugar
- 10 g honey
- 1 egg
- 80 g kabocha purée
- 85 g flour
- 3 g baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- Roasted unsalted pumpkin seeds for topping
- Honey for topping
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, whip the softened butter until pale and fluffy using a whisk or mixer. Add the sugar and honey and cream together until creamy.
- Next, add the beaten in increments. Beat until fully incorporated before each addition. Once incorporated, add the kabocha purée and keep whisking until incorporated.
- Sift in the flour, baking powder, and salt, then fold until you no longer see any dry clumps of flour. Pour the batter into a pan prepared by either lining with parchment paper or by spreading butter all over the inside and dusting with flour. Use a spatula to spread the batter to the shorter sides of the pan so that it creates a valley in the middle.
- In a small bowl, lightly coat about a tablespoon of pumpkin seeds with honey. Top the pound cake batter with the pumpkin seeds, making sure to spread them evenly across.
- Cut a line down the middle of the batter using a knife coated in oil, or pipe a line of softened butter down the middle. Bake at 160°C/340°F for 35-45 min or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Let the entire tray cool on a cooling rack. Then when the pound cake is warm to the touch, remove from the pan and let it continue cooling on the rack and the pumpkin pound cake is done! 完成です！
Notes
- Depending on the moisture of your pumpkin purée, the pound cake may end up a bit dry or not hold together well. If your batter is pretty thick, you can add a little vegetable oil to help with the moisture. If it’s too runny, you can add some flour bit by bit. The batter should be thick enough that it’s scoopable and sticky but not runny.
- Pound cakes have a better texture when you let them mature overnight. You can do this by wrapping the pound cake in plastic wrap or by simply placing it in a large resealable plastic bag and squeezing out the excess air. Then you can enjoy it the next day!