Autumn brings with it many exciting ideas for cooking pumpkin, and one of my favorites is the savory pumpkin and speck plumcake! The pumpkin flesh, cooked in the microwave or baked in foil, transforms into a soft puree, perfect for adding fluffiness to flatbreads and savory cakes. The speck, with its bold flavor, enriches this plumcake without overshadowing the delicate sweetness of the pumpkin. Perfect as an appetizer, served alone or with cold cuts and cheese, it’s also ideal as a savory snack or as a nibble for an aperitif. For those who love contrasts, I suggest adding a pinch of cinnamon to the batter: it will give an unexpected aroma that perfectly matches the savory taste of the speck. Easy to prepare and delicious even in a gluten-free version, this plumcake stays soft and fragrant for up to three days.
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very economical
- Preparation time: 1 Hour
- Portions: 6 People
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
- Energy 324.65 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 26.09 (g) of which sugars 1.55 (g)
- Proteins 9.52 (g)
- Fat 21.24 (g) of which saturated 3.61 (g)of which unsaturated 16.50 (g)
- Fibers 1.08 (g)
- Sodium 246.66 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 87 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for a 9×5 inch pumpkin and speck savory plumcake
If you are celiac, you can prepare this savory plumcake using the mix B for gluten-free bread Schar; however, check that the instant yeast and speck label state “gluten-free.”
- 2 eggs
- 250 g pumpkin (weighed with the peel)
- 100 ml sunflower oil
- 180 g all-purpose flour (or gluten-free bread mix)
- 1 package instant yeast for savory preparations
- 2 tablespoons Parmigiano Reggiano DOP (grated)
- 50 g diced speck
- 1 pinch salt
- to taste pepper
- 1 pinch ground cinnamon (optional)
- to taste poppy seeds (optional, for decoration)
Tools
- Aluminum
- 1 Sieve
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Spoon
- 1 Plumcake mold 9×5 inches
- Parchment paper
How to prepare the savory pumpkin plumcake with diced speck
To prepare the savory pumpkin and speck plumcake, start by cooking the pumpkin: if you have a microwave, it will take just a few minutes, follow the instructions found here. If you don’t have a microwave, bake the pumpkin in foil: place it, unpeeled (after washing it thoroughly), on a sheet of aluminum foil (1). Close it to form a foil packet that completely covers it (2).
Bake it in a preheated oven at 392°F (static) for 45-50 minutes. At the end of cooking, the pumpkin should be very soft, enough to easily pierce the flesh (3). In both methods (microwave or foil pack), the pumpkin will cook in its own juices, remaining more flavorful and not absorbing extra water that would make the plumcake batter too soft.
With the help of a knife, remove the peel and place the flesh in a sieve; press it well with the back of a spoon to remove most of its liquid (4). Let it cool, then put it in a bowl, season with a generous pinch of salt, a grind of pepper, and if you like, a pinch of cinnamon. Add the eggs (5). Mix them well with the pumpkin using a fork, then add the oil (6).
Once the liquid ingredients are mixed, add the flour and instant yeast for savory cakes (7). Stir thoroughly with a spoon until you get a homogeneous mixture (8). Finally, add the parmesan and diced speck (9).
Work the mixture for a few minutes to distribute all the ingredients evenly (10). Line a 9×5 inch plumcake mold with a sheet of dampened and squeezed parchment paper (11). If you don’t have one of these sizes, check out this article which will allow you to calculate exactly the proportions of the ingredients based on your mold. Pour the pumpkin and speck savory plumcake batter into it and level it well with the back of a spoon (12).
Garnish it with some poppy seeds if you like (13). Bake the pumpkin and speck plumcake in a preheated oven at 356°F (static) for 35-40 minutes. Always perform the toothpick test before taking it out: if it comes out dry, remove it and let it cool for about ten minutes (14). Otherwise, continue cooking for 5-10 more minutes. Then remove it from the mold, gently removing the parchment paper, and let it cool completely on a wire rack (15).
Serve the pumpkin and speck savory plumcake as an appetizer, for a savory snack, or as a bite to accompany the aperitif.
Storage
The pumpkin and speck plumcake stays soft and fragrant for 3 or 4 days at room temperature, covered with a sheet of plastic wrap.
Tips and Variations
In this case, I used common pumpkin that is bought in slices at the supermarket, with a delicate flavor and fairly watery flesh. The same recipe can also be made with kabocha squash, which has a more intense flavor and firmer flesh: it may be necessary, in this case, to slightly reduce the amount of flour or add a little milk.
Instead of speck, you can use sweet or smoked bacon cubes.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can I use brewer’s yeast instead of instant yeast?
Yes, for this recipe you can use half a packet (4 g) of dry brewer’s yeast, to be added directly to the batter along with the flour (fresh yeast is less suitable because it would need to be dissolved in warm liquid, which is not provided in this recipe). Once the batter is formed, it should be placed in a plumcake mold and left to rise until it reaches the edge. Then you can proceed with baking.
