Pumpkin Tea Bread

After smelling the onset of autumn in our garden, just had to make a spicy cake and this one is one of our favourites.
It is a lightly spiced, moist cake that can be sliced for any time of day. I like it as a quick breakfast when time is short. It is best eaten within 2-3 days, but when you have tasted it, I am sure it wont last that long and will become an autumn favourite.
Make sure that after cooking the pumpkin you allow the moisture to drain from the pumpkin before adding to the other ingredients.

Makes 8-10 slices
350g pumpkin or squash flesh, diced
100g clear honey
150g white self-raising flour
150g wholemeal self-raising flour
2 level teaspoons mixed spice
2 rounded tablespoons muscovado sugar
180g butter, at room temperature
A sprinkling of pumpkin seeds

Preheat the oven to 180C/gas mark4 and grease and line a 900g loaf tin with baking paper.
1.Cook the pumpkin either by steaming or microwaving until just tender. Drain well and allow to cool in a bowl. Whilst the pumpkin is cooling mix in the honey and mash well to pulp the flesh.
2.Meanwhile mix the two flours and spice together by sieving into a mixing bowl, as the bran will be left in the sieve tip into the flour and stir in.
3.Stir the sugar into the flour.
4.Rub the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles breadcrumbs.
5.When the pumpkin has cooled mix it well into the flour mixture until smooth.
6.Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and sprinkle the top with the pumpkin seeds.
7.Bake for about 1 hour or until the top is golden in colour and firm to the touch. To test if the centre of the cake is cooked, press a metal skewer into the centre of the cake, if it comes out clean with no mixture attached it is cooked.
8.Leave to cool in the tin for 15 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack and glaze with a little honey whilst still warm if you like a glossy top.

If you like dried fruit add 80g sultanas or raisins when you mix in the honey and pumpkin mixture into the flour.
Slice and eat with or without butter it is delicious.