Pumpkin spice traybake cake
Serves: 20
Prep time: 30 minsTotal time: 
Recipe photograph by Toby Scott
Pumpkin spice traybake cake
Each bite of this spiced traybake cake – which is effortless to throw together on a whim – is the warming hug we all need at this time of year
Serves: 20
Prep time: 30 minsTotal time: 
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Nutritional information (per serving)
Calories
390Kcal
Fat
22gr
Saturates
7gr
Carbs
41gr
Sugars
26gr
Fibre
1gr
Protein
5gr
Salt
0.7gr
Becky Excell
After being diagnosed with IBS and told to avoid gluten, Becky started experimenting with gluten-free versions of her favourite foods and sharing her recipes online. Fast forward nine years, and Becky is now a successful food writer and bestselling author of several gluten-free cookbooks
See more of Becky Excell’s recipes
Becky Excell
After being diagnosed with IBS and told to avoid gluten, Becky started experimenting with gluten-free versions of her favourite foods and sharing her recipes online. Fast forward nine years, and Becky is now a successful food writer and bestselling author of several gluten-free cookbooks
See more of Becky Excell’s recipes
Ingredients
For the sponge
- 300ml vegetable oil, plus extra to grease
- 6 medium eggs
- 350g light brown sugar
- 400g gluten-free self-raising flour
- 1½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- ¼ tsp xanthan gum
- 3 tsp ground cinnamon, plus extra to dust
- 1½ tsp ground ginger
- 1½ tsp ground nutmeg
- 1½ tsp ground allspice
- 315g tinned pumpkin purée (or see Kitchen tip, right)
For the frosting
- 150g softened butter
- 150g icing sugar
- 300g full-fat soft cheese, at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Step by step
Kitchen tip
Tinned pumpkin purée is available in store over the autumn months, but if you can’t get hold of a tin, just microwave 425g peeled and diced butternut squash in a covered bowl on high for 5-7 minutes or until tender. Drain well, then purée and cool.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C, fan 160°C, gas 4. Grease and line a deep 20 x 30cm baking tin, letting the baking paper sides rise a bit above the top of the tin to help lift the cake out once cooked.
- Place the oil, eggs and light brown sugar in a large mixing bowl and combine with an electric whisk.
- Add the flour, bicarbonate of soda, xanthan gum and all the spices to the bowl and gently fold them in. Once fully combined, fold through the pumpkin purée.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 50-60 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the centre of the cake. Cool in the tin before removing (the cake can be frozen now, prior to decorating).
- For the frosting, beat the butter for a few minutes until paler in colour. Sift in the icing sugar and beat well. Add the soft cheese and vanilla extract and mix until well combined, and the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled cake and then dust with either ground cinnamon, or a mix of all the spices.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge, for up to 5 days.
