Pumpkin Loaf with Butterscotch Icing and Candied Pumpkin Seeds

Preheat the oven to 150˚C.

Lightly grease and line the base of the loaf tins with baking paper.

Whisk the sugar, oil and eggs together in a large bowl and stir in the pumpkin and orange zest. Combine the dry ingredients and fold into the pumpkin mixture. Divide the mixture between the tins and bake for 30-35 minutes until firm and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cool in the tins. A large loaf will take about 1 hour.

Candied pumpkin seeds: Preheat the oven to 180˚C.

Using a fork, lightly whisk the egg white, sugar and spices together in a bowl, add the pumpkin seeds and combine well. Spread out evenly on a lined baking tray and bake for 4 minutes. The mixture will puff up. Turn the seeds over with a palette knife and bake again for another 4 minutes. They will form small sticky clumps and will crisp up when cold. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Icing: Heat the butter and sugar in a saucepan until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cream and icing sugar until smooth. Spread the warm icing over the cake and sprinkle with the candied pumpkin seeds. If the icing sets before you have iced thecakes, reheat to a spreadable consistency. Dust the tops with icing sugar before serving. The loaves can also be left un-iced and served simply dusted with icing sugar, or plain, with or without butter. Makes 3 small loaves.

Pantry Note: 
Muscovado sugar: an unrefined, sticky sugar with a strong molasses flavour. Any lumps can be pressed out in a sieve before using. Available in good supermarkets.