Autumn brings with it many creative ideas for cooking pumpkin, and one of my favorites is the savory pumpkin and speck loaf cake! The pumpkin flesh, microwaved or baked in foil, turns into a soft puree, perfect for adding moisture to focaccias and savory cakes. The speck, with its bold flavor, enriches this loaf cake without overpowering the delicate sweetness of the pumpkin. Perfect as an appetizer, to be served alone or along with cold cuts and cheese, it is also ideal for a savory snack or as a treat for happy hour. For those who love contrasts, I suggest adding a pinch of cinnamon to the batter: it will give an unexpected aroma that pairs perfectly with the speck’s saltiness. Easy to make and delicious even in a gluten-free version, this loaf cake remains soft and fragrant for up to three days.
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very economical
- Preparation time: 1 Hour
- Portions: 6People
- 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 savory pumpkin and speck loaf cake measuring 9×5 inches
If you are celiac, you can prepare this savory loaf cake using Schar gluten-free bread mix; however, ensure that the instant yeast and speck are labeled “gluten-free”.
- 2 eggs
- 250 g pumpkin (weighed with the skin)
- 100 ml sunflower seed oil
- 180 g all-purpose flour (or gluten-free bread mix)
- 1 packet instant yeast for savory baked goods
- 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 decorating)
Tools
- Aluminum
- 1 Strainer
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Spoon
- 1 Loaf Pan 9×5 inches
- Parchment paper
How to prepare the savory pumpkin loaf with diced speck
To prepare the savory pumpkin and speck loaf cake, start by cooking the pumpkin: if you have a microwave, it will take just a few minutes; follow the instructions here. If you don’t have a microwave, bake the pumpkin in foil: place it in one piece with the skin on (after washing it thoroughly) on a sheet of aluminum foil (1). Wrap it completely in the foil to make a packet (2).
Bake it in a preheated oven at 392°F (static) for 45-50 minutes. At the end of the cooking time, the pumpkin should be very soft, so much so that you can pierce the flesh with no difficulty (3). In both methods (microwave or in foil), the pumpkin will cook in its own juices, remaining more flavorful and not absorbing additional water that would make the loaf cake batter too wet.
Using a knife, remove the skin and place the flesh in a strainer; press it well with the back of a spoon to remove most of its juices (4). Let it cool, then place it in a bowl, season it with a good pinch of salt, a grind of pepper, and if you like, a pinch of cinnamon. Add the eggs (5). Mix them well into the pumpkin with a fork, then add the oil (6).
Once the liquid ingredients are combined, add the flour and instant yeast for savory cakes (7). Mix 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 well (10). Line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with a sheet of wetted and wrung-out parchment paper (11). If you don’t have one of these sizes, refer to this article to help you calculate the exact proportions of ingredients based on your pan. Pour in the savory pumpkin loaf cake batter 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 loaf cake in a preheated oven at 356°F (static) for 35-40 minutes. Always do the toothpick test before taking it out of the oven: if it comes out dry, remove it from the oven and let it cool for about ten minutes (14). Otherwise, continue baking for another 5-10 minutes. Then remove it from the pan, gently remove the parchment paper, and let it cool completely on a rack (15).
Serve the savory pumpkin and speck loaf cake as an appetizer, for a savory snack, or as a treat to accompany happy hour.
Storage
The pumpkin and speck loaf cake stays soft and fragrant for 3 or 4 days at room temperature, covered with a sheet of food-grade plastic wrap.
Tips and variations
In this case, I used the common pumpkin that you buy in slices at the supermarket, with a delicate flavor and fairly moist flesh. The same recipe can also be made with the Delica pumpkin, which has a more intense flavor and firmer flesh: in that case, you might need to slightly reduce the amount of flour or add a little bit of milk.
Instead of speck, you can use sweet or smoked diced pancetta.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can I use active dry yeast instead of instant yeast?
Yes, for this recipe you can use half a packet (4 g) of active dry 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 a warm liquid, which is not provided in this recipe). Once the batter is formed, it should be placed in a loaf pan and left to rise until it reaches the edge. Then you can proceed with baking.
