I know, I know. It’s yet another kabocha squash recipe. “I thought this blog was about exploring food,” you are probably saying to yourself. It is! It is! When you come across an ingredient this versatile, there is plenty of exploring to do with that alone. And when it comes to kabocha, we just can’t enough of the stuff.
Inspired by our Kabocha Muffins with Curry Leaf, Chele set out to create a simple gluten-free kabocha loaf cake that she could bring to family gatherings as a dessert, or to simply have around the house to snack on.
For her first iteration, she ran a little short on her kabocha puree, so she filled in the balance with some mango peach applesauce that she had on hand. The result was an incredibly moist and sweet cake that was a massive hit with everyone she shared it with. That first cake didn’t last 24 hours.
As big as a success as her initial version was, Chele really wanted a version that focused on the kabocha flavor, so she tried it again without the applesauce. That version came out with a much stronger kabocha squash flavor, but was significantly less sweet than the applesauce version (which was a given, seeing as it was omitting all of that added sugar). It was also a little drier (but still very moist), with a consistency closer to banana bread. Not being as rich, it would be a good candidate for frosting, serving with ice cream, or even as a side for a savory meal like chile. Some of our tasters with a bigger sweet tooth showed a strong preference for the original version, though. We also discovered that this version dries out rather quickly, and is best eaten within the first 2 days.
In the end, we’ve decided to include both variations in our recipe. If you want a sweet, moist, decadent cake, then go with the applesauce version. If you are looking for something a little easier on the sugar or to serve as a side, go with the standard version.
Gluten-free Kabocha Squash Cake
Ingredients
For standard cake:
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup sunflower oil
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups cooked and mashed kabocha squash (reduce to 1½ cups if making optional sweeter version)
- 3 cups Bob's Red Mill Gluten-free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
- 2 cups light brown sugar
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp baking spice blend (we use Penzeys Baking Spice)
- 1 tsp salt
For a sweeter, moister cake (optional):
- ½ cup applesauce (We use Mott's Mango Peach Applesauce, but feel free to use your favorite. Reduce kabocha to 1½ cups if using)
Instructions
- Preheat oven 350°F.
- Using a stand mixer, beat the eggs, oil, and vanilla until thoroughly combined. Reduce speed and mix in the mashed kabocha squash (and applesauce, if using).
- Mix in brown sugar and all dry ingredients until just combined.
- Pour batter into a lightly-greased 9"x9" cake pan, or two standard loaf pans.
- Bake for approximately 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted at the center comes out clean.
Notes
- Due to the heavy orange color of the kabocha, this cake tends to bake up to quite a dark color. Don’t worry, it isn’t burning! Use our picture as a reference for the final color.
- The standard recipe doesn’t hold its moisture for very long. We recommend eating it with the first 2 days for the best experience. The applesauce version should stay moist for longer. Whether or not either version will last long enough for that to be an issue is a different issue entirely….
