This Indonesian bingka labu kuning, or pumpkin cake, is a wonderful alternative to pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving. A versatile cake, bingka’s core ingredient can comprise assorted root vegetables, from cassava to sweet potato and, yes, pumpkin. Once baked, it has a firm outer skin and a rich, custardy filling. Roasting your own pumpkin flesh is preferred, but you can use canned pumpkin in a pinch.
Bingka Labu Kuning (Pumpkin Cake)
This Indonesian bingka labu kuning, or pumpkin cake, is a wonderful alternative to pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving. A versatile cake, bingka’s core ingredient can comprise assorted root vegetables, from cassava to sweet potato and, yes, pumpkin. Once baked, it has a firm outer skin and a rich, custardy filling. Roasting your own pumpkin flesh is preferred, but you can use canned pumpkin in a pinch.
Ingredients
- 2 cups roasted Japanese pumpkin such as kabocha, kuri or buttercup squash (see Tip)
- 13.5- ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
- ¼ cup unsalted butter melted, plus 1 teaspoon for pan
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9-inch round cake pan with butter; line the bottom with parchment paper.
- Combine 2 cups pumpkin, 1 (13.5-ounce) can coconut milk, ¼ cup melted butter, 2 eggs, ½ cup granulated sugar and ¼ cup brown sugar in a blender. Blend on medium speed for 10 to 15 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the blender with a spatula; blend until smooth, 5 to 10 seconds more (do not overmix).
- Sift 1½ cups flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon cloves together in a large mixing bowl. Pour the pumpkin mixture into the dry ingredients; whisk just until evenly moistened. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, if desired.
- Bake until edges are firm and golden brown, 45 to 50 minutes. The cake will still be soft in the center, so an inserted toothpick will not come out clean.
- Let the cake cool completely in the pan on a wire rack, 3 to 4 hours. As the cake cools, the center will firm up and sink a little. When completely cooled, remove from the pan and slice.
Notes
Tip
Pick out a small 3- to 3½-pound pumpkin that’s heavy for its size. Halve it, remove the seeds with a spoon, coat the flesh with cooking spray, and set it cut-side down on a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet. Make slits in the skin with a knife. Roast at 400°F until the skin collapses and the flesh is soft, about 40 minutes. Scoop out the flesh, setting aside 2 cups for this recipe. If you prefer not to roast your own pumpkin, you can use 2 cups canned pumpkin puree.
