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.

pumpkin spiced baked doughnuts.

HELLO AUTUMN! Anyone else as excited as me? Shame about the lack of Summer and that. But now it's October I'm truly embracing being an Autumn baby and getting involved with ALL of the Autumn leaves, cosy accessories and obviously a million PSLs. (Pumpkin spiced lattes, by the way). Over on my Instagram I couldn't resist a Boomerang throwing up some leaves and sharing my newest scented candle. So are you surprised I've been baking pumpkin spiced everything too? First in line are these heavenly pumpkin spiced baked doughnuts. Think cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg with a topping of maple sweetened pecans and syrup. But I can't promise I'm stopping here...

parma ham, sweet potato and pecan salad.

A warm, Autumnal salad mixing the salty flavours of Parma ham, sweet potato, earthy spinach and sticky pecans. Bringing out the signature flavours of the Prosciutto di Parma DOP, the Italian dry-cured ham has a distinctive slightly sweet and salty taste. With delicate fat running through the prosciutto, the texture also marries will with the skin-on potatoes, wilted spinach, crunchy pecans and shavings of salty Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.

walnut & stem ginger sticky toffee pudding.

One of my favourite desserts, sure to warm your up in the colder months. Although I wouldn't say no sticky toffee pudding any time of year. With a zing of ginger and hints of crushed walnut throughout, this twist on a sticky toffee pudding is the perfect warming dessert. For dinner party success, make the mix ahead and bake at the last minute! Serve with lashings of thick double cream and an extra spike of stem ginger syrup.

#goodmornings with belvita breakfast.

Hands up if you didn't want to get out of bed this morning? Yep, me too. We may have gained an hour, but all I want to do right now is cuddle up in blankets and light every Autumnal smelling candle in my house. I love Autumn, I've made that pretty clear. I love the colours, wrapping up in gigantic coats, buying a new pair of boots, pumpkin spices, all the wholesome slow cooking and... my birthday is just a few days after the clocks go back. (So you still have time to get me a present). But there's no doubt that the evenings drawing in and mornings getting darker make it hard to get out of bed and not turn to hibernation.

When belVita Breakfast got in touch asking if I'd like a few things to make the clocks going back that little bit easier, I couldn't say no. They sent me a little parcel of their latest Honey and Nut Biscuits and a handy alarm clock, ready to kick start my Autumn mornings.