Name: Pumpkin Prune Loaf
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 60 min
Ingredients: 500 g raw pumpkin (~ 3 cups (400 g once peeled, deseeded and grated)); 1 cup pitted prunes ((200 g)); 1 ¼ cup olive oil; ½ cup brown sugar; 3 eggs; 1 teaspoon vanilla; 1 ½ cup plain (gluten-free or rice flour); ½ cup desiccated coconut; 2 teaspoons cinnamon; 1 teaspoon baking soda; ½ teaspoon baking powder; 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds (for topping)

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A scrumptiously moist loaf or cake featuring pumpkin, prunes and olive oil, it is delectable served on its own, with yogurt, cream or ice cream, or smothered in tangy frosting.

I was in Kuching, Borneo, of all places, when I first had cake with prunes in it. The prunes made the cake so moist and moreish that it has been on my recipe development list ever since.

This pumpkin and prune loaf is somewhat like carrot cake. Yet with grated raw pumpkin and prunes.

A loaf of pumpkin and prune cake being sliced with a bread knife, with a cut pumpkin in the background.

Why add prunes to your cake, and diet in general?

Prunes are often only thought about for bowel regularity. Due to their high sorbitol and fibre content, prunes have a soothing laxative effect. However, prunes can also increase bone mineral density and have other health benefits ^[1].

Prunes are moist, sweet, dried fruits that can be enjoyed in many ways, sweet and savoury.

You can use prunes where you would other dried fruits such as muffins, fruit cakes or ‘jam’ tarts.

They can also be blended with water to make a puree, which can be spread on toast or a wrap with peanut butter, then rolled up to make a peanut butter and prune pinwheel snack.

Prunes are delicious, stewed in water, orange juice and orange zest with a pinch of cinnamon and served over porridge or atop muesli.

Did you hear me say savoury? Prunes can be enjoyed in warm salads, on meats or in stews.

California Prunes has many delicious recipes and ideas for enjoying prunes, as well as listing flavours that pair well with prunes, such as yogurt, cheeses, roasted green veggies, sweet root vegetables, and nuts.

Or, quite simply, you can enjoy a few morish prunes alone. Four to six prunes is a recommended snack size.

I digress from our prune and pumpkin cake…

Ingredients for this pumpkin prune loaf recipe

To make this moreish pumpkin loaf, you will require:

raw pumpkim
dried prunes
extra virgin olive oil
plain gluten-free or rice flour
desiccated coconut
eggs
sugar
baking soda
baking powder
vanilla
cinnamon
pumpkin seeds

Then, it’s simply a matter of combining the ingredients and baking it like you would a carrot cake or date loaf.

Tips and considerations for this pumpkin bread recipe

Using olive oil in baking

I use extra virgin olive oil rather than butter in this recipe.

Olive oil is a great source of monounsaturated fats and is lower in saturated fat than butter.

Secondly, extra virgin olive oil contains antioxidants that offset free radicals produced in the cooking process.

The cake will seem oily before baking. However, this will be absorbed, making for a moist and nourishing cake.

Is this prune cake gluten-free?

As written, this recipe is gluten-free. You can either use plain gluten-free flour or rice flour.

Prepare as a pumpkin prune cake or loaf

You could bake this recipe in a loaf tin, cake tin, or muffin tray for pumpkin prune loaf, cake or muffins—your choice!

Generally, I prepare this recipe as a loaf without icing or frosting. It is super moist, so it doesn’t need it.

I either serve it on it’s own or with a dollop of yogurt, cream or a scoop of ice cream. Yum!

The perfect frosting for this prune cake

Although this pumpkin prune cake is delicious without frosting, frosting makes for a delectable cake or cupcakes for a special occasion.

I generally frost it with my Greek yogurt and cream cheese frosting—see recipe.

Put candles on top, and you will have my type of birthday cake. I’m just saying!

Greek yogurt and cream cheese frosting spread on top of pumpkin prune loaf.

Have you tried this recipe for pumpkin prune loaf?

I’d love to hear if you have tried this recipe and whether you enjoyed it. Share in the comments below.

If you are looking for other wholesome baking recipes, you may like to try my banana bread recipe, which is free of added sugar, chocolate brownies made with beetroot and almond flour, or aromatic cake made with parsnips and almond flour.

If you are looking for more recipes with pumpkin, because you have plenty leftover from making this recipe, you may like to try another of my pumpkin recipes, such as:

I am overjoyed to share recipes I love with you. Your support through commenting is the encouragement I need to keep creating recipes for you. xx

A slice of pumpkin prune loaf on a light green plate with sprinkled pumpkin seeds. In the background is the full loaf and two other slices of the loaf, beside a pumpkin with a quarter cut out of it.

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5 from 3 votes

Pumpkin Prune Loaf

A scrumptiously moist cake that can be served on its own or with yogurt, cream or ice cream, or smothered in tangy frosting.

Prep Time30

Cook Time1

Keyword: nut-free, dairy-free, gluten-free

Servings: 12

Author: Tansy Boggon

Ingredients

Wet Ingredients

500 g raw pumpkin ~ 3 cups (400 g once peeled, deseeded and grated)
1 cup pitted prunes (200 g)
1 ¼ cup olive oil
½ cup brown sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

Dry Ingredients

1 ½ cup plain gluten-free or rice flour
½ cup desiccated coconut
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds for topping

Instructions

Preheat oven to 180°C and line a large loaf tin (approx. 15 x 22cm) with greaseproof paper.
Peel, deseed and grate pumpkin. Set aside.
Chop prunes into quarters. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine oil and sugar, removing any sugar clumps.
Then, whisk in the eggs and vanilla.
Add the grated pumpkin and prunes. Stir until combined.
Over the bowl, sift the flour, cinnamon, baking soda and baking powder.
Then add the desiccated coconut.
Combine all ingredients to form a batter
Pour the mixture into the loaf tin. Then sprinkle with pumpkin seeds.
Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes (50-60 minutes on fan force). It is cooked when a skewer comes out clean.
Remove from oven and allow to cool in tin for 10-15 minutes. Then remove from tin to cool completely.

Notes

To Serve

Enjoy as is or with a scoop of yogurt, cream or ice cream. Try topped with Greek yogurt frosting.

Storage

It will keep at room temperature for about 3 days and 5-7 days in the fridge, stored in an airtight container.

It can also be frozen. Slice it and place greaseproof paper between the slices before freezing, so you can easily remove individual slices. It will keep for 3-4 months.

^[1]Clinical trials suggest eating 50 grams of prunes (5-7/day) may help prevent bone loss in post-menopausal women.