Pumpkin Cake

So I bought a huge pumpkin on impulse in the supermarket.  By the time I had struggled to the car with it I knew I had no idea what I was going to do with the damn thing. I had pumpkin pie a couple of weeks ago (gift from OH’s mother) and I just couldn’t face a big pot of orangey-yellow soup. Pumpkin cake? Yay! Very similar to carrot cake in consistency, and the topping is just yum!  In fact, when I baked this I was immediately asked to reproduce it for an aunt-in-law’s work party. So, I’m not lying, it really is that good. We’re going to try this one step-by-step, see how it goes. Recipe adapted from one on bbcgoodfood.com.

For the cake

300g self raising flour

300g muscavado sugar

3 tsp mixed spice

2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

175g sultanas ( a good substitute for this, if you’re not a sultana fan (Me), is some walnuts or pecan nuts)

1/2 tsp salt

4 eggs, beaten

200g butter, melted

zest 1 orange

1 tbsp orange juice

500g (peeled weight) pumpkin, grated

For drenching & frosting

200g philadelphia

85g butter

100g icing sugar

zest 1 orange & juice of half an orange

Heat oven to 180C/fan160C and line a baking tray (20x30cm) with parchment. Put the flour, sugar, spice, bicarbonate of soda, sultanas and salt into a large bowl and stir to combine. Beat the eggs into the melted butter, stir in the orange zest and juice, then mix with the dry ingredients till combined. It should look something like this:

This is the sultana version, but seriously, give the nutty version a try.  Now add in the grated pumpkin and give it a good stir. Pour the batter into the tin and bake for 30 mins, or until golden and springy to the touch. (keep an eye on it – my erratic oven bakes this cake in 23 minutes).

Mmm. Meanwhile, make the frosting.  Beat together the philadelphia, butter, icing sugar, orange zest and 1 tsp of the juice till smooth and creamy.  Pop it  into the fridge until you’re ready for it.

When the cake is done, let it cool in the tin for about 5 minutes. Then turn it onto a cooling rack. Remove the baking parchment, prick it all over with a skewer and drizzle with the rest of the orange juice.  Leave to cool completely.

When you’re ready to add the frosting, grab it out of the fridge, give it a quick beat to loosen and using a palette knife, spread over the top of the cake in peaks and swirls.

This cake will keep, covered, for up to 3 days in the fridge. Yum!