Pennsylvania Dutch Pumpkin Cake

The "Pennsylvania Dutch" communities in America have a long history of delicious foods made with only natural ingredients. The forefathers of these communities traveled to the United states in the nineteenth century from Holland, after suffering many years of persecution while living in Switzerland. These communities are more often known by the name "Amish".

2 cups of cooked, mashed pumpkin (about 500g.) (1 lb)
400g. (13 oz) plain flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 tablespoon fresh minced ginger
250g. (8 oz) butter, softened
230g. (7 oz) sugar
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
½ cup currants

Preheat the oven to 180C. (350F) and butter a bake tin (or fluted cake tin) or a long loaf tin.

Peel the pumpkin and cut into chunks. Simmer for 40 minutes until soft then mash.

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and allspice and set aside. In a mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy then add the eggs, one at a time and beat well after each addition. d the mashed pumpkin, minced ginger and vanilla and mix thoroughly. Add the dry flour mixture and currants and continue to mix gently to combine all the ingredients.

Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for about 45 minutes for a loaf in or 55 minutes for a fluted cake tin. When fully cooked, the cake should be a little 'springy' when pressed gently in the centre. Allow to cool in the tin then un-mould. Dust the cake with icing sugar. Serve with 1 cup of fresh cream that has been flavored with 1 teaspoon ground ginger and 1 teaspoon vanilla essence.