Summer has passed perishingly quickly! Since I ended my moratorium on baking in mid-June I’ve baked a fair amount, but I’m afraid I’ve not been able to blog about it. So here is my first post in quite a while!

I’m also in the process of getting all social media savvy – I’ve got a new Facebook page and a Twitter account. :) My website also hasn’t been redesigned since I created it, so I figured it was time to give it a bit of a new look as well. Apologies if links don’t work etc whilst I iron out all the wrinkles.

I recently moved into a new house. Whilst I was unpacking my baking stuff, I came across about 6 tins of pumpkin. Last summer it was on sale at Aldi and I went a bit pumpkin happy and purchased about 8 cans of the stuff. I’d only made pumpkin desserts twice last year, so as soon as I saw it I knew it was time to crack open another can. I settled on pumpkin cake (because it’s delicious) and on a fudge icing (because it’s also delicious).

Four layers smothered in fudge…

My flatmates were my excellent and willing taste-testers for this cake. We all agreed that it was very moist and sweet with a strong pumpkin flavour, but that the walnuts gave the texture some variety and provided a bit of relief from the sweetness. Unfortunately, the icing tasted a little bit burnt – the pot I used had a very thin bottom and I’m not used cooking on a gas stove. Beware! Still, it was very delicious and a wonderfully warmly spiced pumpkin cake. The sea salt in the icing was also a nice touch, although completely optional. I loved the walnut moose on top and perhaps I’ll bust out this recipe in a little while for Canadian Thanksgiving! :)

Such a cute little moose!

Happy baking!

Pumpkin Cake with Sea Salted Fudgey Icing

Pumpkin Cake

Ingredients

• 2 cups/250g all purpose/plain flour
• 1-1.5 tbsp mixed spices (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg etc)
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 x 454g tin pumpkin puree
• 2 cups/400g white sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup/250 ml vegetable oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Butter, flour and line 2×8″ round cake tins and set aside. Preheat the oven to 175C/350F.
2. In a medium sized mixing bowl, sift together the flour, spices, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. Using an electric mixer, beat together on medium speed the sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla extract four about 1-2 minutes. The mixture should look paler and the volume should be increased.
4. On low speed, mix in the canned pumpkin until mixed throughout.
5. Gently fold in the flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture. Mix by hand until just combined.
6. Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
7. Let the cakes cool for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
8. Slice each layer in half and icing with the sea salted fudge icing (recipe below).

Sea Salted Fudge Icing

Ingredients

• 3 cups/600g white sugar
• 1 1/2 cup/ 375ml semiskimmed milk
• 1 1/2 cup/ 375g  unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 cup/125g unsalted butter, softened 
• 1 1/2 cup / 200g icing sugar, sifted
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Combine the white sugar, milk, 1.5 cup of unsalted butter and baking soda in a large pot (I had to use the largest I owned – it WILL increase in volume around 3 fold!) and stir with a wooden spoon over medium high heat. 
2. When the mixture begins to boil, stop stirring completely. Insert a candy thermometer and boil until it reaches the soft ball stage (235F/118C). It should turn a lovely dark golden colour as it cooks. Once it has reached the correct temperature, carefully pour into a large mixing bowl.
3. With an electric mixer with a whisk attachment, beat on medium high until it is cool enough to touch, it loses some of its gloss, and it is beginning to hold it’s shape. If you drag a spoon through it, you should be able to see that this has happened.
4. Beat in the butter, salt and vanilla. Gradually add the icing sugar and mix until it is all incorporated. Use immediately. You need to be a bit speedy during this step as the icing sets a bit as it cools. It is much easier to spread when it is warm.

Omnomnomnom.