slow cooker pumpkin sponge cake with pumpkin cream.

An inviting Autumnal dessert for the darker days; this slow cooked pumpkin sponge really brings the best of the season together. Autumn is my favourite, so when I was invited to get creative for the Crock-Pot Crocktober Halloween Challenge, I couldn't wait to conjure up a cosy recipe. Made in the versatile and convenient Crock-Pot, the slow cooking of this pumpkin sponge really infuses the cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger spices into this dessert. leaving a moist and buttery texture.

This appliance really is deserving of its place on the kitchen counter. From dinner to dessert, the Crock-Pot Express Multi-Cooker can get to work steaming, roasting and sautéing whilst you get on with other everyday tasks. Although slow cooking lends itself to the colder months, you really get make anything all year round. Scroll down to see how this creation really is pretty much as easy as simply pressing a button.

Shopping list.

♥ 200g self raising flour

♥ 150g dark brown sugar

♥ 70g caster sugar

♥ 3 tsp cinnamon

♥ 2 tsp ginger

♥ 1 tsp nutmeg

♥ 70g butter, melted and cooled down slightly, plus extra to grease

♥ 400g tin of pumpkin purée, 3/4 for the pudding and 1/4 for the cream

♥ Three free range eggs

To decorate

♥ Double cream

♥ Pumpkin purée

♥ One tbsp icing sugar

♥ Walnuts to garnish

♥ Cinnamon and icing sugar to dust

Step one. Grease the Crock-Pot bowl with a little butter.

Step two. Add in the flour, sugar, spices, butter, 3/4 of the pumpkin purée and the eggs to the bowl. Mix well until combined.

Step three. Turn your Crock-Pot on HIGH SLOW COOK for 2 hours.

Step four. When ready, allow to cook and then turn out onto a board. The non stick bowl and extra greasing means it should come out as one.

Step five. Whisk together your cream, remaining pumpkin and icing sugar. Decorate as you wish and scatter with walnuts and a mix of icing sugar and cinnamon.

Have you made a pumpkin sponge before? Or any Halloween recipes this year? Would you ever try making a sponge cake or sticky toffee pudding in the slow cooker?

In collaboration with Crock-Pot