A Halloween Treat: Indonesian Pumpkin Cake Recipe Inside
On
22/10/2024Reading time:
8 min
Summary:
Discover the deliciously unique Indonesian Pumpkin Cake! This easy-to-follow recipe guides you to create a cake with a soft, custard-like texture and lightly crispy edges. Roasted pumpkin enhances the rich, natural flavors, complemented by coconut milk for a creamy finish. Perfect for a Halloween treat or any autumn gathering, this mildly sweet cake highlights the earthy sweetness of pumpkin without overwhelming spices. Get ready to impress with this delightful, melt-in-your-mouth dessert!

Indonesian Pumpkin Cake
This cake is irresistibly melt-in-your-mouth, with a uniquely soft, custard-like texture. During baking, the edges form a light, crispy layer, creating a delightful contrast with the tender center.
The pumpkin flavor shines brilliantly here. Roasting the pumpkin brings out a deeper, more intense taste, free from heavy spices. The cake has a gentle sweetness, with the creamy richness of coconut milk and the natural earthy sweetness of pumpkin taking the spotlight.
Ingredients
1 small baking pumpkin or medium butternut squash (about 2 1/2 pounds)
1 tablespoon melted coconut oil or vegetable oil
11/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
Butter, at room temperature, for coating the pan
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon canned unsweetened coconut milk
4 large eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
7 tablespoons all-purpose flour
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon white sesame seeds (optional)
Directions
Heat the oven to 400ºF.
Peel 1 small baking pumpkin. Halve, scrape out the seeds with a spoon, and discard. Cut the flesh into rough 1-inch pieces (about 5 cups). Place on a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, season with 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt, and toss to coat. Arrange into a single layer.
Roast until browned and very tender, stirring halfway through, 25 to 35 minutes total. Meanwhile, coat a 7- or 9-inch springform pan lightly with room-temperature butter. Line the bottom with a parchment paper round. Line the sides with strips of parchment paper, making them flush with the top of the pan.
Let the pumpkin cool slightly. Weigh out 10 ounces (about 2 heaping cups) and transfer to a blender (reserve any remaining pumpkin for another use). Add 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon coconut milk. Blend until smooth. Pour into a fine-mesh strainer set over a large bowl and push through the strainer, occasionally scraping the underside of the strainer. Reserve the strainer.
Whisk 4 large eggs, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt together in a medium bowl until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is fluffy and pale yellow, 5 to 7 minutes. Whisk in 7 tablespoons all-purpose flour until combined. Whisk in 7 tablespoons melted unsalted butter and 2 tablespoons vanilla extract.
Push the egg mixture through the same strainer into the coconut-pumpkin mixture, then stir until combined. Transfer to the springform pan and smooth out the top.
Bake for 15 minutes. Sprinkle the cake evenly with 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds if using. Continue baking until the top is golden-brown and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 15 minutes more for a 9-inch pan, or 25 minutes more for a 7-inch pan.
Let cool for at least 10 minutes before releasing the sides of the pan. The cake can be served warm, at room temperature, or cold.