Pumpkin and apricot cake

Preheat the oven to 170 ºC (330 ºF). Spray a 24 cm loose-bottomed cake tin with non-stick spray and line the bottom with baking paper.
Boil the pumpkin in a little salted water until tender. Drain and mash the pumpkin. Cool completely.
Cream the butter and castor sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the coconut and mix. Add the eggs one by one, beating well after each addition.
Sift the self-raising flour and salt together and add to the butter mixture, alternating with the milk. Mix and fold in the pumpkin and shredded apricots. Turn into the prepared cake tin and bake for about 1 hour to 1 hour 20 minutes or until the cake is done and a testing skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Cool slightly. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Dust with icing sugar just before serving if desired.
Makes a medium-sized cake.