Comfort Cake

with a version for anyone who needs it.

Oh, my friends. What a week. What a country. I hope this finds you as well as possible under the circumstances. I hope you are surrounded by people who you love, and love you in return. I hope you are stubbornly finding moments of joy and comfort and pleasure in your day.

I’m writing this in bed. I just found a chocolate chip inside my shirt. Melted, of course. My cat is snuggled right next to me, purring as if all is right in the world, everything as it should be. I love that for her.

I wish I had something more interesting, more hopeful to say. I finally cried last night, prompted by, of all things, a dish that fell too loudly in the sink and startled me.

I had a considerable amount of baking to do this week, and as much as I would have liked to rot in bed instead of measuring and whipping and washing dishes late into the night, I’m grateful for the work. It’s nice to have something to occupy the hands and the mind, something to focus on without too much mental demand. It’s nice to remember that when so many things feel out of my control, I can still create something that will give someone a moment of happiness or comfort, at least temporarily. This is no small thing, really.

I have a cake recipe for you. This is one of my favorite things to make when I need the specific comfort you get from baking something warm and sweet and soft on a grey day: rich and moist, golden orange from squash and spices, haloed by sunny yellow coconut-golden milk icing. It’s gluten free and dairy free as-is, along with substitutions to make it vegan and/or nut-free, so you can make this for anyone you love. I bet you have someone in mind who could really use some warmth. Maybe it’s you.

Take such good care of yourself, and of each other. Go about your day with empathy and understanding - we are all feeling it. We are all going to need as much softness, sweetness, and warmth as possible. These are the things that help us stay strong.

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Red Kuri Squash + Golden Milk Cake

yield: 8x4 loaf pan, or 8 inch round cake pan. 12 servings. Adapted from Aran Goyoaga.

1 Red Kuri Squash (or kabocha, winter luxury, butternut)

80 grams sugar

80 grams maple syrup

3 large eggs

80 grams olive oil

105 grams superfine brown rice flour

100 grams almond flour or tigernut flour

8 grams / 2 teaspoons baking powder

3 grams / 1 teaspoon turmeric

1 gram / 1/4 teaspoon cardamom

1 gram / 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon black pepper, optional

3 grams / 3/4 teaspoon salt

optional toppings: sugar and pumpkin seeds or golden milk glaze, the recipe of which I will write below!

• to make vegan: leave out the eggs. Add 1/2 cup (110 grams) of coconut or oat milk into the squash and sugar mixture. Reduce oil to 60 grams. Add 1/2 teaspoons of baking soda to the dry ingredients

1. Roast the squash: Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut squash in half, and place cut-side down onto a parchment-lined sheet tray. Roast for about 45 minutes or until squash is tender and easily pierced with a fork. Set aside to cool.

2. Reduce the oven to 350. Grease the inside of your loaf or cake pan with olive oil, and line with parchment (a parchment circle for cake pan, a long strip of parchment to fit into the loaf pan crosswise with a bit of overhang on the sides).

3. Scoop out and discard the seeds from the cavity of the squash. Measure 225 grams or 1 cup of roasted squash into a large bowl, and mash with a fork until smooth. Add sugar, maple syrup, eggs (plant milk if vegan), and oil. Whisk together until smooth.

4. In another bowl, whisk together the brown rice flour, almond or tigernut flour, baking powder (and baking soda if vegan), spices, and salt. Add to wet ingredients and whisk well until you get a thick, cohesive batter. Pour into prepared pan, and smooth with an offset spatula. If you’re not making the glaze, sprinkle with sugar and pumpkin seeds.

5. Bake for about 45-50 minutes, or until golden brown and a cake tester comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan, then remove, top with glaze if using, and serve. Keeps 3 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Golden Milk Glaze

yield - approximately 1/2 cup of icing - plenty for either size cake

115g / 1 cup powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon turmeric * see note

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon cardamom

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

pinch cracked black pepper, optional but recommended

pinch salt

3 Tablespoons coconut milk, shaken well

1/2 teaspoon orange zest

Once cake is completely cooled, pour glaze over the top. With an offset spatula, gently encourage the glaze to the edges of the cake, and allow it to drip down the sides. You can sprinkle with shredded coconut or edible flowers, if you have either. I used Marigolds and Sulfur Cosmos.

• For the spices, I also highly recommend Diaspora’s Haldi Doodh Masala if you’d like to just add one thing. I used Diaspora spices for the rest of the cake, as well.