Categories: Halloween, November

Ingredients

• 500g pumpkin flesh
• 250ml sunflower oil
• 300g light muscovado sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 225g self-raising flour
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 tsp each ground ginger. ground cinnamon and ground mixed spice
• 1 jar Dulce de Leche (banoffee toffee made by Merchant Gourmet)
• 12 dried ready-to-eat apricots

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 180˚C/fan 160˚C/gas 4. Line the holes of a 12-hole muffin tin (5cm top, 3cm depth) with paper muffin cases.

2. Put the pumpkin into a heatproof bowl with 1 tablespoon of water. Cover with cling film and pierce a few times. Microwave on high for 10 minutes (for 800W) until the pumpkin is tender. Cool for 2-3 minutes before lifting the cling film. Transfer to a food processor and put the lid on. Whizz for 30 seconds until smooth, or use a hand blender.

3. Put the oil, sugar and eggs in a large bowl. Using an electric hand whisk, mix together for 3 minutes until thick and pale. Sift in the flour, bicarbonate of soda, ginger, cinnamon and mixed spice. Take a large metal spoon and mix gently yet thoroughly until you can no longer see any dry ingredients. Add the pumpkin mix and stir lightly to combine.

4. Divide the mixture between the muffin cases, so they’re all three-quarters full. Bake for 20 minutes, until risen and cooked through. Insert a skewer into the centre of a muffin, if it comes out clean, it’s ready. Cool the cakes in the tin for 10 minutes, then cool on a wire rack.

5. Put a tablespoonful of Dulce de Leche on top of each cake, then spread evenly across the top of each cake. Top each one with a dried apricot to decorate.

Email to a friend | Print this recipe | Back