Ingredients

• 225g unsalted butter at room temperature

  240g soft light brown sugar

  2 large range eggs

  ½ tsp LittlePod pure vanilla extract

  130g butternut squash

  120g self-raising flour

  120g plain flour

  1½ tsp mixed spice

  ½ tsp ground ginger

  125ml sour cream

  175g cream cheese, at room temperature

  ½ tsp LittlePod natural vanilla paste

  450g icing sugar

  Grated zest of 2 oranges

  Physalis and a dusting of icing sugar

Method

1. Preheat the oven and line a 12-hole muffin tray with tall cupcake cases.
2. Peel, then steam the squash over a pan of boiling water for 30 minutes. Once it is soft, place in a wide bowl and mash with a fork until it becomes a soft pulp. Pass through a sieve to remove lumps and form a lovely rich puree. Let it stand to get rid of excess water.
3. Cream 110g of the butter with the sugar until pale and smooth, then add the eggs one at a time. Add the vanilla extract and combine with the pureed squash using a folding technique.
4. Combine the sieved flours, ginger and ½ tsp of the mixed spice in a bowl. Slowly add the flour mix to the butter and sugar mix and then add the soured cream until combined.
5. When thoroughly combined, carefully spoon the mixture into cup cases (approximately ⅔ full). Bake in the oven for 25 minutes until golden brown. Check the cakes are done by inserting a skewer into the centre of a cake – the skewer should come out clean. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
6. To make the cream cheese icing, warm the remaining butter until soft, add the cream cheese and whisk thoroughly.
7. Add the vanilla paste and mix. Then add the sieved icing sugar and mix until it is a smooth delicious cream. Fold slowly through the remaining mixed spice and the orange zest.
8. Decorate the cakes with the creamed icing using a palette knife or piping bag. Top with a physalis and a dusting of icing sugar.