pumpkin cinnamon

This was created to spice up any Halloween or Thanksgiving party! It is a very moist cake, full of aromatic spices, and topped with a heavenly cinnamon cream cheese frosting.

• 75 g/⅔ cup shelled pecans, plus 12 to top
• 190 g/1½ cups plain/ all-purpose flour
• 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, plus extra to dust
• ¾ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon bicarbonate of/baking soda
• a pinch of salt
• 100 g/6½ tablespoons butter, cubed and soft
• 60 g/¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 60 g/¼ cup (caster) sugar
• ½ vanilla pod/bean
• 2 eggs
• 175 g/¾ cup canned pumpkin purée
• 60 ml/¼ cup sour cream

CINNAMON CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

• 140 g/9½ tablespoons butter, cubed and soft
• 225 g/1⅔ cups icing/ confectioners’ sugar
• 210 g/1 scant cup cream cheese
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

muffin pan lined with 12 muffin cases

Makes 12

Preheat the oven to 180˚C/350˚F/ Gas 4.

To toast the pecans, set a frying pan over medium–high heat to warm up. Add the pecans to the warm pan and toast, stirring frequently, for about 5–8 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.

Put the cooled, toasted pecans in a food processor and grind to a powder. Set aside.

Sift together the flour, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, bicarbonate of/baking soda and salt in a bowl.

Put the butter and sugars in a mixing bowl and cream with an electric hand mixer until light and fluffy. Stop occasionally to scrape down the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula.

Using a small, sharp knife, slit the vanilla pod/bean down its length and scrape the seeds out into the mixing bowl. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Add the sifted dry ingredients and beat on low speed until combined.

Finally, fold in the pumpkin purée, sour cream and ground pecans.

Divide the mixture between the muffin cases. Bake in the preheated oven for 25–30 minutes or until well risen and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a wire rack before decorating.

CINNAMON CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

While the cupcakes are cooling down, make the cinnamon cream cheese frosting.

Put the butter in a bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer on high speed until until pale and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes. Sift in the sugar and beat on medium speed for 3–5 minutes until well mixed. Stop occasionally to scrape down the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Finally, add the cream cheese, ground cinnamon and vanilla and beat until fluffy.

Spread the frosting over the cold cupcakes using a spatula, or spoon the frosting into a piping bag fitted with a large, plain nozzle/tip and pipe it on top of the cupcakes. Top with a pecan and dust with ground cinnamon.