I have pumpkin cake trays and the finished product has a more oval shape, though muffin trays are just fine. Have children decorate the faces for you – they’ll have a great time.

Ingredients

• 125 grams butter, melted
• 6 tblsp orange juice
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup flour
• ½ cup wholemeal flour
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp ground cloves
• ½ tsp each ground cinnamon and cardamom
• 2 tblsp mixed peel
• 1½ cups finely grated pumpkin
• ½ cup sultanas

Cream Cheese Icing

• 125 grams cream cheese
• 1½ cups icing sugar
• 2-3 tsp lemon juice
• a few drops red and yellow food colouring, or orange food colouring
• licorice strips to decorate

Method

1. In a large bowl, beat together melted butter, orange juice and eggs.
2. Add flours, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, ground cloves, cinnamon and cardamom, mixed peel, grated pumpkin and sultanas. Fold together gently.
3. Fill 12 well-greased muffin tins with mixture.
4. Bake at 190°C for 15 minutes or until well risen and golden, and a skewer inserted comes out clean. Alternately fill 8 greased pumpkin shaped tins with the mixture, bake at 190°C for 18 to 20 minutes. Cool well, before icing.
5. Spread the icing over the pumpkin muffins and decorate with liquorice strips for eyes, nose, mouth and stalk.

Cream Cheese Icing

1. Beat together the cream cheese, sifted icing sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Colour very gradually with red and yellow food colouring to achieve an orange pumpkin colour or use orange food colouring.

Cooks Tips

- If you do not have all the spices, use 1¼ teaspoons mixed spice.