Simple pumpkin cake with streusel and icing

This really simple pumpkin cake with streusel and icing is quick to make and a delicious new way to use pumpkin purée. Fragrant with warming spices and maple syrup, it is a wonderfully autumnal bake. Small and topped with a generous layer of buttery streusel and icing, it is simple yet absolutely delicious. Highly recommended!

Which pumpkin do I use for baking? In Poland, a good variety for baking is Hokkaido pumpkin, known in the UK as Red Kuri squash. It has a delicate flavour, a floury texture and an intense orange colour, and is very versatile in the kitchen.

Ingredients for the streusel:

• 60 g plain flour
• 100 g light soft brown sugar
• 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 60 g butter, chilled

Place the flour, sugar and cinnamon in a bowl and mix. Add the chilled butter, cut into small cubes, and quickly rub it into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles streusel. Set aside.

Ingredients for the pumpkin cake:

• 250 g plain flour
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• a pinch of salt
• 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• 230 g pumpkin purée
• 90 g light soft brown sugar
• 120 ml rapeseed or sunflower oil
• 80 g maple syrup
• 60 ml milk (or more, if needed)

All the ingredients should be at room temperature.

Place the pumpkin purée, sugar, oil, maple syrup and milk in a bowl. Whisk until combined. Sift in the flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, salt and spices. Mix with a whisk just until combined, no longer. The batter will be quite thick; if it seems too thick, add a few extra tablespoons of milk and mix again.

Line a 24 x 24 cm baking tin with baking paper. Transfer the batter to the tin and spread evenly. It may seem like there isn’t much batter, but this is correct. Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the top.

Bake at 170°C for about 35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave to cool, then drizzle with the icing. Cut into squares and serve.

Ingredients for the icing:

• 1 cup icing sugar
• 3 tablespoons water

Mix the icing sugar with the water and stir with the back of a spoon until smooth. If the icing is too thick, add a little more water. If it is too thin, add more icing sugar and mix again.

Enjoy!

Recipe source: Sally’s Baking Addiction.