Caramel Spiced Pumpkin Cake

Ingredients:

CAKE:

Standard Vanilla Cake Recipe for 3 layers

3 teaspoons of cinnamon powder for each layer

PUMPKIN PIE FILLING:

3 cups cooked pumpkin

1 cup white wheat flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1 cup cream

1 teaspoon cinnamon

RUM SUGAR SYRUP:

1/2 cup sugar

150 ml of water

75 ml rum

ICING:

2 cups icing sugar

125 grams butter, softened

5 ml vanilla essence

1 tin of caramel spread

Method:

Cake:

Bake 3 layers of your vanilla cake recipe, adding 3 teaspoons of cinnamon to the batter for each layer using standard 23 cm spring form pan.

Pumpkin Pie filling:

Thoroughly mix all the ingredients together and split the mixture in 2. Using the same spring form pans, bake 2 layers for approximately 25 minutes on 170 Degrees Celsius. Note that each layer will only be about 1.5cm – 2 cm thick. The filling should still have a slight wobble in the middle when done and will set when cooled down.

Make sure that the filling has cooled down completely before attempting to take it out of the pan. It is very soft so please handle with care.

To assemble the cake:

Soak the first layer of cake with sugar syrup

Gently place the first layer of pumpkin pie filling on top.

Repeat with the next layer of cake and pumpkin pie filling with the last layer of cake going on top.

Icing:

Beat the icing sugar, butter and vanilla sugar with an electric beater until light and fluffy. Add the tin of caramel and beat through until smooth and silky.

Cover the top of the cake with the icing allowing some to drip down the side of the cake.

You can decorate the cake with caramel toffee, fudge, caramel popcorn or traditional South African Koeksisters.

Soetkoekies

Ingredients:

560 g (4 x 250 ml) cake flour
200 g (250 ml) White Sugar
10 ml cream of tartar
2,5 ml salt
250 g butter
5 ml bicarbonate of soda
30 ml milk
2 eggs
5 ml vanilla essence
extra sugar for sprinkling

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180ºC.
2. Mix the flour, sugar, cream of tartar and salt together.
3. Rub the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
4. Dissolve the bicarbonate of soda in the milk.
5. Beat the eggs and add the vanilla essence.
6. Add the bicarbonate of soda and beaten eggs to the flour mixture.
7. Mix well to form a smooth dough.
8. Cover the dough with plastic foil and place in fridge for 30 minutes.
9. On a lightly floured surface roll the dough out to 4 mm thickness and press out with cookie cutter of your choice.
10. Place on greased baking tray.
11. Sprinkle each biscuit with a little extra sugar or leave plain if planning to ice with Royal icing
12. Bake for 8 – 10 minutes until done.

Leave to cool and sprinkle with more white sugar.

Variation: Add 15ml of Vanilla Custard powder to the Dry mixture.