I found a similar recipe using delicata squash a while back and have finally gotten around to trying it — and wow, I am actually impressed at how delicious and flavorful this is. I mean, it’s nothing like a pumpkin pie or anything, but it is delicious, and if you aren’t a “pie person” this might be a good option as a Thanksgiving Day dessert. Definitely serve with ice cream and still slightly warm. Yum.
Ingredients
For the cake
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup warm delicata squash puree (see directions below)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup water
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
For the bottom — or top? — the upside-down part
1/4 cup of brown sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small uncooked delicata squash
To make the delicata puree part: stick the whole squash into the oven at 425F and roast until fork tender. Remove and let cool enough to handle. Cut in half, scoop to the seeds and discard and scoop the flesh into a bowl. Mash it up a bit and measure out 1 cup. If you have any left over, mix with butter, salt and pepper and devour!
Directions
Preheat oven to 350F. Grab yourself a 10-12-inch clean cast iron skillet, a 10-inch cake can, or in my case, a 10-inch square springform pan. Cut an appropriately sized piece of parchment paper, spray the pan with baking spray, lay in the parchment and then spray again.
In a small saucepan, melt butter and the brown sugar on low heat until the butter and sugar melt together and form a sauce. Remove pan from heat and pour into the prepared skillet or pan. Slice the raw delicata squash into 1/2-inch rounds. Remove the seeds and place the rounds into the bottom of the skillet, fitting in as many as you can, without overlapping. Note: you can eat the skin of delicata squash so no need to peel the squash before slicing. Set aside and make cake batter.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda and powder and the cinnamon and nutmeg. In a separate bowl, combine the cooked warm squash with the oil and the brown sugar. If you squash puree is cold, warm it up. It mixes better when it is warm. Mix until completely combined. Combine wet into dry and mix together, then slowly pour in water and apple cider and mix again until everything is fully incorporated.
Pour cake batter over the ingredients in the skillet or pan and place into the oven. Bake for 45-50 minutes, until a nice golden brown and tester in middle comes out clean. Remove and place on a cooling rack or on top of the oven to cool for 8-10 minutes. Once cooled, take a plate, cooling rack, or cutting board that is a least a little bigger than the skillet or pan, place it on top of the cake, and flip. The
cake should drop right out. Carefully and slowly peel off the parchment paper.
Serve immediately, with cinnamon ice cream or vanilla whipped cream might be nice.