Halloween pumpkin cake

Halloween pumpkin cake

Like carrot cake? Then try using up your leftover pumpkin in this clever traybake for Halloween

Difficulty and servings

Easy

Cuts into 15 generous portions

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 20 mins

Cook time

Cook 30 mins

Freezable

(without frosting)

Method

  1. Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Butter and line a 30 x 20cm baking or small roasting tin with baking 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. Stir in the pumpkin. Pour the batter into the tin and bake for 30 mins, or until golden and springy to the touch.
  2. 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. When the cake is done, cool for 5 mins then turn it onto a cooling rack. Prick it all over with a skewer and drizzle with the rest of the orange juice while still warm. Leave to cool completely.
  3. If you like, trim the edges of the cake. Give the frosting a quick beat to loosen, then, using a palette knife, spread over the top of the cake in peaks and swirls. 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. Will keep, covered, for up to 3 days in the fridge.
Try

Try this

Pumpkins can vary dramatically in water content, so keep an eye on the cake towards the end of cooking - yours may take less or more time to cook through. If you're not carving out a pumpkin this year butternut squash works brilliantly, too.

Per serving (15 slices)

408 kcalories, protein 5g, carbohydrate 52g, fat 21 g, saturated fat 13g, fibre 1g, sugar 37g, salt 1.33 g

Recipe from Good Food magazine, October 2007.

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Latest comments and suggestions

Results 1-20

  • Binder photo Gillian

    01 November 2007

    Gillian rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Tried baking this for Halloween to bring into work. Was a BIG hit!! Thanks

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  • Binder photo tatter

    01 November 2007

    tatter rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    made it yesterday, for my daughter's Hallowen party. The cake was an absolute hit, and as I still have a couple of pumpkins left, I think I'll make it again soon. More recipes like this!

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  • Binder photo kodeia

    02 November 2007

    kodeia commented on this recipe

    made it in cupcake cases for trick-or-treaters, and piped pumpkin faces onto them - all the kids loved them, will definitely make again!

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  • Binder photo San's food

    07 November 2007

    San's food commented on this recipe

    Made two of these for Halloween. They were well received. The cake was quite dense rather like a bread pudding. I doubled up on the spices as I love the smell and taste. Will make again.

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  • Binder photo Jane

    08 November 2007

    Jane commented on this recipe

    When I made this cake I had to cook it for an extra 10 minutes as it was nowhere near cooked after 30 minutes.

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  • Binder photo veronika

    08 November 2007

    veronika rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Beautiful cake! Doesn't dry up, instead remains moist and is even better on the second and the third day.

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  • Binder photo Lindsay

    08 November 2007

    Lindsay rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Easy and really good !

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  • Binder photo Trookle

    09 November 2007

    Trookle rated this recipe

    4 stars

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  • Binder photo Trookle

    09 November 2007

    Trookle rated this recipe

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  • Binder photo Stripyem

    14 November 2007

    Stripyem rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    This was such a great cake to make, and unusual! Solid and pudding like but not too heavy when you ate it. The orange topping was fab! Loved by everyone.

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  • Binder photo Sliverwolf

    14 November 2007

    Sliverwolf rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I bought dark muscovado sugar (it was all they had left in my local supermarket) and accidently bought a ruby grapefruit instead of an orange (don't ask!). However the cake still tasted and looked fabulous although it took twice as long to cook than the recipe said (this could be due to my ancient oven). I also had to freeze about two thirds of it as there is only the two of us but those bits we've defrosted still taste marvellous and I tried having it with custard instead of the frosting which was very warming and wintery.

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  • Binder photo Nemnem

    14 March 2008

    Nemnem rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    The best cake I have ever made or eaten. Everyone loved it! and it definatly makes 15 'generous' servings. I might cut it in to a few more next time.

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  • Binder photo mimisardine

    17 March 2008

    mimisardine rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Absolutely delicious. So, so good. It's better than carrot cake for sure. Would definitely work well as a cupcakes. I agree though that it really needs more than 30 minutes as it is quite a wet batter. 40-45 is probably more apt.

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  • Binder photo diane vdh

    08 September 2008

    diane vdh commented on this recipe

    I make this with butternut squash as suggested, and everyone that has tried it loves it. If using pumpkin from halloween i found it very fiddly. Great if you have a magimix. One of the best cakes ever.

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  • Binder photo Mika Bertram

    16 September 2008

    Mika Bertram rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    This is fantastic but I found the bakingtime too short and had it for 50 miutes in the oven!

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  • Binder photo sophieew

    03 October 2008

    sophieew commented on this recipe

    Really delicious and easy. I made as fairy cakes and got 30 in total. Rather than using the topping I sprinkled a few pumpkin seeds on top of each one - a nice little bit of crunch.

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  • Binder photo welshcake

    04 October 2008

    welshcake commented on this recipe

    Really delicious and easy to make, but took longer than the cooking time given..closer to 45mins did it. Very tasty! :o)

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  • Binder photo Co

    08 October 2008

    Co rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    This is delicious, we have a glut of pumpkins from the allotment and this will be a new addition to favourite pumpkin recipes! It took a bit longer to cook - my oven is very old- and I left off the frosting as I wanted it to keep for a few days - it keeps well - will be making again soon.

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  • Binder photo Alex Karpeta

    27 October 2008

    Alex Karpeta rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Absolutely delicious cake - my boyfriend has made it twice now, its easy, tasty and a real hit with our 3 year old little boy!! It did take longer than stated to cook though.

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  • Binder photo taylorpink

    27 October 2008

    taylorpink rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I made this the other day for me and my house mates and it went down a storm! The cake was moist and full of flavor! I was that good my dad has asked me for the recipe! Only thing is it takes longer to cook than stated. More like 50 mins!

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Difficulty and servings

Easy

Cuts into 15 generous portions

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 20 mins

Cook time

Cook 30 mins

Freezable

(without frosting)

Ingredients

For the cake

  • 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
  • 1 tbsp orange juice
  • 500g (peeled weight) pumpkin or butternut squash flesh, grated

FOR DRENCHING AND FROSTING

  • 200g pack soft cheese
  • 85g butter , softened
  • 100g icing sugar , sifted
  • zest 1 orange and juice of half
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Per serving (15 slices)

408 kcalories, protein 5g, carbohydrate 52g, fat 21 g, saturated fat 13g, fibre 1g, sugar 37g, salt 1.33 g

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