Halloween cake

Ingredients

• 500 gplain flour
• 450 gprepared pumpkin
• 5eggs
• 340 gsugar
• 150 gmelted butter
• 2 small bottleslemon flavouring, or the finely grated zest of 1 unwaxed lemon
• 1½ sachetsbaking powder
• a pinchsalt
• as neededbutter, for greasing
• as neededflour, for dusting

Instructions

1. 1

   Steam the pumpkin

   Peel the pumpkin and remove the seeds and fibres. Wash it, cut it into even slices and steam for about 20 minutes.

2. 2

   Drain it well

   Leave the cooked pumpkin to drain so any excess liquid can run off.

3. 3

   Purée and sift

   Blend the pumpkin and set it aside. Sift the flour together with the baking powder.

4. 4

   Whisk eggs and sugar

   Beat the eggs with the sugar until the mixture is pale, airy and increased in volume.

5. 5

   Make the batter

   Stir in the melted butter. Add the flour, lemon flavouring and pumpkin, and mix to combine; finish with a pinch of salt.

6. 6

   Fill the tin

   Grease and flour a springform tin, pour in the batter and level the surface carefully.

7. 7

   Bake the cake

   Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for about 50 minutes; the exact time depends on your oven.

8. 8

   Check and cool

   Test the centre with a skewer. Take the cake out of the oven and leave it to cool.

9. 9

   Turn it out

   Remove the cooled cake from the tin and transfer it to a serving plate.

10. 10

    Cut the face

    Wait a few minutes, then use a pointed knife to cut out eyes, a nose and a mouth. Serve the Halloween cake cold.

What is Halloween cake?

This is a home-style Italian pumpkin cake, made with a sweet, buttery batter rather than a pastry crust. Pumpkin cakes have variations across regions and households; here, the pumpkin is steamed and blended before being mixed with eggs, sugar and flour.

The puréed pumpkin gives the cake its soft texture, while lemon adds a fragrant note. Its Halloween character comes from carving a simple face into the cooled cake.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 790 calories, 15g protein, 125g carbs, 24g fat.

Most of the carbohydrates come from the flour and sugar, while butter and egg yolks contribute much of the fat; eggs also provide some protein. Pair a slice with fresh fruit or plain yoghurt to add a lighter, less sweet contrast.

Prepare the pumpkin

Even slices: cutting the pumpkin to a similar thickness helps it steam evenly in about 20 minutes.

Drain first: let the cooked pumpkin release any excess liquid before blending, so extra moisture does not loosen the batter.

Build an airy batter

Whisk well: beat the eggs and sugar until the mixture looks puffy and foamy. This gives the cake some of its lightness.

Fold in carefully: add the sifted flour, pumpkin and lemon flavouring after the melted butter, mixing just until everything is combined.

Check the bake

Oven timing: the cake bakes at 180°C for about 50 minutes, but the method notes that ovens vary. Check the centre with a skewer before taking it out.

Cool before cutting: let the cake cool before removing it from the tin, then wait a few minutes before carving so the face is easier to shape.

Shape the Halloween face

Simple features: use a pointed knife to cut out eyes, a nose and a mouth in the top of the cake. Work gently and keep the cuts small enough to preserve the cake's structure.

A plain serving plate lets the carved shape stand out. Serve the cake cold, as directed.

Serve and share

This cake is sweet and filling, so serve a slice with fresh fruit or plain yoghurt if you want something lighter alongside it. It also works on its own as a Halloween dessert.

The recipe makes six servings. Cut the face before bringing the cake to the table, or let everyone see the finished cake before it is sliced.

Recipe notes & tips

• Cut the pumpkin into even slices so they steam at a similar rate.
• Drain the pumpkin well before blending to avoid adding excess liquid to the batter.
• Sift the flour with the baking powder to distribute the raising agent through the batter.
• Beat the eggs and sugar until visibly foamy before adding the other ingredients.
• Grease and flour the springform tin thoroughly to help release the cake.
• Let the cake cool before carving its face with a pointed knife.

Variations

• Lemon zest: use the finely grated zest of an unwaxed lemon instead of the lemon flavouring.
• Spiced aroma: add a little ground cinnamon to the dry ingredients for a warmer flavour.
• Simple finish: leave off the carved face and serve the cake plain.
• Halloween shapes: carve a different simple expression using the same pointed-knife method.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Wet pumpkin: excess liquid can make the batter too loose; let the cooked pumpkin drain before blending.
• Uneven pieces: thick and thin pumpkin slices may cook at different rates; cut them evenly.
• Under-whisked eggs: a flat egg-and-sugar mixture may make the cake less airy; beat until foamy.
• Overmixing: prolonged mixing after adding the flour can make the texture less tender; stop once the ingredients are combined.
• Guessing doneness: oven timing varies; check the centre with a skewer after about 50 minutes.
• Carving while warm: a warm cake can be harder to handle; cool it before cutting the face.

How to store

Keep the cooled cake covered in an airtight container at room temperature and eat within 3 days. If chilled, bring slices towards room temperature before serving.

Frequently asked questions