Pumpkin, brown sugar and pecan cake with cream cheese icing

Serves 12

INGREDIENTS

400g pumpkin (or butternut

squash), peeled, deseeded and

coarsely grated (to give about

300g flesh)

350g self-raising flour

275g soft light brown sugar

1 large eating apple, peeled, cored

and coarsely grated

2 tsp ground mixed spice

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

6 eggs

250ml vegetable oil, plus extra for

greasing

Finely grated zest of 2 oranges

1 tsp vanilla extract

CREAM CHEESE ICING

300g low-fat cream cheese

3 tbsp icing sugar, sifted

Seeds of 1 vanilla pod

TO DECORATE

12 pecan nut halves

EQUIPMENT

Two 20cm sandwich tins

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C, (fan 170°C), 375°F, Gas Mark 5.

2. Lightly grease the bottom of two 20cm sandwich tins, line with bakingparchment and set on a baking tray.

3. Put the pumpkin, flour, sugar, apple, spices, baking powder and bicarb in a large bowl. Give them a quick toss together and then make a hole in the centre. Lightly beat the eggs in a medium bowl and then stir in

the oil, orange zest and vanilla extract until combined. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and mix everything together until well combined.

4. Divide the mixture evenly between the two cake tins (they will be quite full) and place in the oven to bake for 40–45 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the icing by simply mixing the cream cheese, icing sugar and vanilla seeds together until smooth. Cover and chill in the fridge until ready to use.

5. To check the cakes are cooked, a skewer inserted into the centre of the cakes should come out clean. Once cooked, remove from the oven and leave to cool.

6. Once the sponges are cool, carefully remove them from the tins and place one of them on a serving plate or cake stand. Spread half of the cream cheese icing on top of this sponge. Place the other sponge on top and then spread the remaining icing over evenly.

7. Arrange the pecans all around the top outside edge of the sponge to decorate and then serve.

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