INGREDIENTS

• 400g tin pureed pumpkin, or you can make your own
• 110g vegetable oil
• 3 large organic eggs
• 100g brown sugar
• 300g plain flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• pinch of sea salt
• 30g pumpkin seeds

Coat the loaf tin with vegetable oil, removing any excess with kitchen towel.

Preheat the oven to 180C (fan oven). In a bowl combine the pumpkin puree, vegetable oil, eggs, and sugar. Combine well. Then sift in the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda, adding a pinch of sea salt to season. Then mix gently with a spatula until just combined (you don’t want to overwork the mix at this point.

Tip the mixture into the loaf tin and tap on the kitchen surface to even out the mix, before finally smoothing over with a spatula. To finish, sprinkle with pumpkin seeds. Place in the middle rack of the oven for 65 mins.

Test with a sharp knife; it should be clean when you remove it from the loaf and the sides should be firm. Run a spatula around the loaf to loosen it from the tin and turn out the loaf onto a cooling rack. Then slice and serve warm with unsalted butter.

N.B. The pumpkin bread will keep in an airtight container for a few days, otherwise it can be wrapped and labelled for the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost fully in the fridge overnight and reheat until piping hot.