With Halloween, there’s a good chance you might have leftover pumpkin, and this simple tray bake from FareShare Sussex & Surrey is a delicious way to use it up.

Pumpkin is a good source of fibre and vitamin A, and it bakes into a moist, nutritious cake that is perfect with a cuppa.

Ingredients

  • 300g self-raising flour
  • 300g sugar (brown sugar if available)
  • 3 tsp mixed spice
  • 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 175g sultanas or raisins
  • 4 eggs, beaten
  • 200g butter or margarine, melted
  • Zest of 1 orange
  • 1 tbsp orange juice
  • 500g pumpkin (peeled weight), grated

Optional frosting

  • 200g soft cheese
  • 85g butter, softened
  • 100g icing sugar, sieved
  • 1 tbsp orange juice, plus 1–2 tbsp extra for drizzling on the cake

Method Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter and line a 20 x 30cm baking tin with baking paper.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, mixed spice, bicarbonate of soda and sultanas. Melt the butter, then beat in the eggs, orange zest and orange juice. Stir this into the dry ingredients until just combined, then fold in the grated pumpkin.

Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for about 30 minutes, or until golden and springy to the touch.

For the frosting, beat together the cream cheese, butter, icing sugar and orange juice until smooth, then refrigerate. When the cake is baked, pierce it all over with a skewer and drizzle over 1–2 tablespoons of orange juice while still warm. Allow the cake to cool completely, then beat the frosting again and spread it over the top. Decorate with walnuts or chopped nuts, if desired.