Butternut Spice Cake
Kenji Morimoto•Dec 2, 2024
This unique take on a spice cake combines the earthy sweetness of butternut squash with an aromatic blend of warm spices and a surprising umami note from miso. Topped with a bright, ginger-citrus cream cheese frosting, it offers a sophisticated balance of flavors that elevates it beyond traditional pumpkin cake, making it perfect for any season.
Kenji Morimoto is a London-based Japanese American food writer and content creator who specializes in fermentation. He draws from his cultural heritage to teach, write, and share culinary knowledge through various platforms, including his popular Instagram @kenjcooks and his upcoming book "Ferment."
Instructions
Mix pumpkin puree (270 g), eggs (3), vanilla (2 tsp), veg oil (200 g), miso (2–3 Tbsp) (the amount will really depend on the type that you use; i don’t want the miso to overwhelm so i err on less).
Add the dry ingredients: sugar (250 g), flour (250 g), baking powder (1 tsp), baking soda (½ tsp).
Combine spices: clove (½ tsp), mace (½ tsp), cinnamon (2 tsp), allspice (5 whole), + cardamom seeds (from 20 green cardamom pods). Blitz into a powder.
Mix all together and bake in a lined loaf plan at 175°C for ~60 min (till skewer comes out clean).
