Halloween Pumpkin Cake

Cake Ingredients

• 300g self-raising flour
• 300g light muscovado sugar
• 3 tsp mixed spice
• 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 175g sultanas
• ½ tsp salt
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 200g butter, melted
• Zest 1 orange
• 500g (peeled weight) pumpkin or butternut squash flesh, grated

For Drenching and Frosting

• 200g pack of soft cheese
• 85g butter, softened
• 100g icing sugar, sifted
• Zest of 1 orange and juice of half

Heat oven to 180oC/Fan 160Oc/Gas Mark 4.

1. Butter and line a 30x20cm baking or small roasting tin with baking parchment.
2. Put the flour, sugar, spice, bicarbonate of soda, sultanas and salt into a large bowl and stir to combine.
3. Beat the eggs into the melted butter, stir in the orange zest and juice, and then mix with the dry ingredients till combined. Stir in the pumpkin.
4. Pour the batter into the tin and bake for 30 minutes or until golden and springy to the touch.
5. To make the frosting beat together the cheese, butter, icing sugar, orange zest and 1 tsp of the juice till smooth and creamy, then set aside in the fridge.
6. When the cake is done, cool it for 5 mins then turn it into a cooling rack.
7. Prick it all over with a skewer and drizzle with the rest of the orange juice while still warm. Leave to cool completely.
8. Trim the edges of the cake.
9. Give the frosting a quick beat to loosen, then, using a palette knife, spread over the top of the cake in peaks and swirls.
10. If you’re making the cake ahead keep it in the fridge then take out as many pieces as you want 30 mins or so before serving.
11. This will keep, covered, for up to 3 days in the fridge.