This recipe got me thinking about sharing some tips and tricks in the kitchen. Should I divulge them all to you today or save some for later? Also, can we take a moment to appreciate that perfectly picked pumpkin in the background of that picture above? I picked that one myself this year, straight from the ground at Courge & Cie.

I don’t know about you, but every time I’ve made a pumpkin loaf, it is super moist and dense almost to the point of thinking that maybe I didn`t cook it long enough…compared to when I use banana for a banana loaf or if I make any other type of loaf. Let’s be honest, they call it a loaf but it’s more like a cake. Just like when recipes say it’s muffin but you know it’s more like a toned down cupcake.

So let’s get straight to Tip#1

What to do with that Pumpkin?

Halloween is over and now you have one or more pumpkins sitting around and you’re not sure what to do with them except throw them into the compost (never the garbage). If they are in bad condition and molding, yes, compost. Otherwise you can cut the pumpkin in half and roast it cut side down in the oven until tender. You should be able to easily peel off the skin after roasting. Scoop out the flesh once cooled and puree in a blender to freeze for later or use right away in muffins, pumpkin pies, cakes, loaves, soups, curries, gnocchis, etc.

Tip#2 – Cool it down Cupcake

I can’t stress enough how important it is for your cakes, loaves, or cupcakes to be COMPLETELY cooled down before icing. Wait an extra day if you can! Don’t be impatient to taste and complete your creation and plan your baking in advance to avoid rushing and creating a mess!

Why this is crucial?

• I’m going to use my loaf as the example here. When your loaf is cooled off completely, the icing can stay nice and fluffy and stand erect on the cake instead of melting and pooling on the sides and looking glazed instead.
• When icing a hot cake, you are more likely to lift pieces and/or crumbs off of the cake that will mix into your icing or just break the cake altogether. We want that flawless coverage not a messy look do we not?

Tip# 3 – Transportation and Storage

I wasn’t sure what container I was going to put this away in. I wanted to keep my loaf nice because I hadn’t taken pictures yet (bad lighting at night) There happened to be a container available in my cupboard that fit the loaf perfectly!

You might have seen this trick before. You can see an example here. Take the cover of your container. Place the loaf on it like you would on a plate. The actual container dish part acts as the cover. There you have it. No mess. You can transport this anywhere and stack all kinds of things over it in the refrigerator!

This loaf (cake) can also be made gluten free or vegan. I hope you try todays recipe and share it with friends and family. I wouldn’t skimp on the icing, it really elevates the loaf. Have it with a rooibos tea or any spiced tea even coffee made Moroccan style with spices like this one. Mmmmm, if there’s a way to appreciate the cold weather coming, I’d say this is it : cozy drinks and food shared with people you care about.