Easy Pumpkin Fruit Cake (or muffins) with photos

[Amy :-)]

Pumpkin Fruit Cake or Muffins
Converted from Sweet Food, with some changes

Ingredients:
240g pumpkin, peeled and cut into small dice
120g butter, softened
120g brown sugar
25g golden syrup
2 eggs
250g SR flour
1 tsp each mixed spice and ground ginger
200g mixed dried fruit (I used sultanas and raisins, and I also added some almonds)

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 150 degrees. Grease and line desired cake pan (20cm round, muffin, or loaf).
2. Steam diced pumpkin until tender. I just used the microwave and steamed it for 6 minutes, but you could use the TMX if preferred.
3. Cream butter and sugar for 10 seconds/speed 4, scrape sides of bowl and mix again. Continue until light and fluffy. (I used butter straight from the fridge so it took a few mixes.)
4. Add golden syrup and steamed pumpkin. Mix for 20 seconds/speed 4.
5. With TMX running on speed 3, add eggs through hole in lid. Replace MC and increase to speed 4 for 30 seconds.
6. Add flour and spices. Mix for 10 seconds/speed 4, scrape sides of bowl and mix again.
7. Add dried fruit and mix for 20 seconds/reverse + speed 5.
8. Pour mixture into prepared pans and bake:

• 20cm round - 1 hour and 40 minutes
• Muffins - 1 hour
• Loaf - 1 hour and 10 minutes

Or until a skewer inserted into cakes comes out clean.

Notes:
As you can see in the photo, I made 12 muffins and 1 low loaf. If you only cook a loaf and therefore use more mixture then it will need longer to cook.

If you weigh the pumpkin after cooking, you will notice it is lighter. That doesn't matter. My raw pumpkin weighed 240g and my cooked pumpkin weighed 180g, and the cakes turned out fine

[Alexis]

This sounds lovely, Amy. I'm determined to lift my baking skills, so will give it a go.

[judydawn]

My ex-SIL used to make a lovely pumpkin fruit cake and I haven't had any since I was no longer part of that family so one day Amy, I will try your recipe.   Thanks for posting it, such a lovely colour too.

[Amy :-)]

Thanks Judy and Alexis, I hope you both enjoy it when you make it

Alexis, if you lived closer we could have a baking day, I love baking

[Alexis]

That would be a fantastic idea.  How's your new kitchen?

[Amy :-)]

Getting there very slowly Alexis We still need to get the tiler back to finish his job, the plumber needs to install the dishwasher, the electrician needs to change one of the powerpoints, the kickboards for the cupboards need to be fitted, there's a hole in the roof that needs to be patched up... It will all be finished one day!

[Alexis]

Oh, I thought you were much closer.

[Amy :-)]

We're a lot closer than we were last year

[Kimmyh]

Lovely Amy. I have made pumpkin fruit cake before, but didn't think to make muffins. Great idea thanks.

[cookie1]

I love pumpkin fruitcake. In fact I love all fruitcake.

[Amy :-)]

In that case you will love this recipe Cookie

Thanks Kimmy I only cooked them as muffins because I needed them to cook quicker than the big cake would have. I was very pleased how well they turned out

[Delightful Den]

Thanks Amy. You're a champion!

[Amy :-)]

No worries Den