Butternut Squash Gingerbread

You don’t really taste the squash in this delicious gingerbread, so don’t be afraid! It just makes the cake more moist and satisfying.

By / Photography By | December 11, 2017

Ingredients

SERVINGS: 1 Cake(s)
Cake
  • ½ small butternut squash, peeled
  • 300 grams (¾ cup) sorghum molasses*
  • 50 grams (¼ cup) canola oil
  • 120 grams (½ cup) buttermilk
  • 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and finely grated
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 300 grams (2⅔ cups) all-purpose flour
  • 1½ teaspoons baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 113 grams (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 200 grams (1 cup) sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • ½ teaspoon salt
Glaze
  • 140 grams (1 cup) powdered sugar, sifted
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1½ tablespoons milk

Instructions

Scoop out and discard seeds from butternut squash. Cut squash into approximately 1-inch cubes. Place in a loosely covered microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high power till squash is tender and cooked through, about 4–5 minutes. Use a hand-held blender to purée the squash. Some small chunks are fine, but try to make it as fine as possible. You may have more than what you will need in the recipe. Measure out 150 grams (⅔ cup) of purée Reserve the rest for another purpose.

In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the squash purée, sorghum molasses, oil, buttermilk, grated fresh ginger, cinnamon and ground ginger. Set aside.

Sift the flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder into a large bowl and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 10-cup-capacity Bundt pan.

In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together till it’s smooth and light in color. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Add the flour and buttermilk-squash mixture, alternately, to the creamed butter. Start and end with the flour. Mix on low speed just till everything is combined.

Use a rubber spatula to fold the cake batter a couple of times. Transfer to prepared cake pan and bake in preheated oven for about 40 minutes, or till the cake springs back when lightly pressed on top.

Let it cool for 15–20 minutes, then invert onto a metal rack and cool completely.

Combine all the glaze ingredients in a small bowl. Mix vigorously with a spoon till smooth. It may look like there is too little liquid but it should come together. If it’s too dry, add milk, a drop at a time. Pour glaze over cooled cake. Let set completely before serving.

*Sorghum molasses is more delicate in flavor and allows the butternut squash to come through. If using regular unsulphured molasses, reduce the amount by 3 tablespoons.

Ingredients

SERVINGS: 1 Cake(s)
Cake
  • ½ small butternut squash, peeled
  • 300 grams (¾ cup) sorghum molasses*
  • 50 grams (¼ cup) canola oil
  • 120 grams (½ cup) buttermilk
  • 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and finely grated
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 300 grams (2⅔ cups) all-purpose flour
  • 1½ teaspoons baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 113 grams (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 200 grams (1 cup) sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • ½ teaspoon salt
Glaze
  • 140 grams (1 cup) powdered sugar, sifted
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1½ tablespoons milk