Do you love pumpkin spice lattes? How about pumpkin pie (I know it's not really a tradition in Ireland the way it is in other countries)?

I have to admit: I've never had a pumpkin spice latte. But pumpkin pie? I am fully on board with that.

And these pumpkin slices may have just trumped pumpkin pie for me.

It was my birthday last weekend and the previous week I had been at Fallon and Byrne in Dublin for an event.

As soon as I walked into the speciality food store, I was nearly hit in the face with the tinned pumpkin on display.

Usually, I have to order pumpkin puree online (yes, yes, you can make it yourself with real pumpkin, but it's never really the same consistency) for baking.

So, me being me, I picked up a few tins, put them in my handbag and spent the entire evening event with pumpkin in my purse.

I was looking for something special to bake for my birthday and remembered the pumpkin puree.

I made pie last year and I was craving something with a sweet glaze, so I decided to make these gorgeous, cakey slices.

Janine was surprised her notoriously picky children enjoyed these slices so much - it's a testament to how good they are / Janine Kennedy

If you're a carrot cake lover (and I am), these slices are right up your street. Mildly spiced and so unbelievably moist, they are the perfect autumn companion with a hot cup of coffee.

The puree turns the cake batter into almost a baked custard consistency, so while the finished product might look slightly under-baked, that is actually how they are supposed to look.

You can do these slices in one bowl, pour into a lined baking tray and have them on the table within the hour (though they're best cooled with this sweet buttercream glaze). Enjoy!

Janine's birthday pumpkin slices

The consistency of these pumpkin slices, once baked, is almost that of a baked custard / Janine Kennedy

Makes 15 portions

Ingredients:

250g soft brown sugar

160g softened butter

2 tsp vanilla

60ml milk

1 400g tin pumpkin puree

240g plain flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

Pinch of salt

2 tsp mixed spice

3 large room temperature eggs

For the buttercream glaze:

200g icing sugar

60g softened butter

60ml milk

1 tsp vanilla

Directions:

  • 1 Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Set aside.
  • 2 In a large bowl, combine the brown sugar and butter. Using a handheld mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and mix through.
  • 3 Beat the eggs in one at a time, mixing well after each egg. The batter, at this stage, should be pale, light and fluffy.
  • 4 Add in the milk and the pumpkin puree. Mix well to combine.
  • 5 In another bowl (or directly over the wet ingredients), sift the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda and mixed spice. Using a spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the wet to ensure you don't over-mix the flour.
  • 6 Pour the batter into the lined tray and bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. When you touch the cake, it should spring back slightly once baked.
  • 7 Once the cake is baked and cooling on a wire rack, make the buttercream glaze. Using a handheld mixer, beat the icing sugar, butter, vanilla and milk until light, creamy and spreadable (if it seems too thick, add a bit more milk).
  • 8 When the cake is completely cool, spread the buttercream glaze over the top. Cut into slices and enjoy.

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