Butternut butterscotch cakes

INGREDIENTS

• 350g butternut pumpkin, skin off, deseeded, 2cm dice 
  

• 1 cup (150g) plain flour 
  

• 1/3 cup (75g) brown sugar, firmly packed, 1/4 cup (55g) extra 

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
  

• 1/8 tsp bicarbonate soda 

• 1/4 teaspoon table salt 
  

• 90g unsalted butter, melted, 50g extra 

• 125g cream cheese, softened 

• 1/3 cup thickened cream, 2 tbsp extra 

• 1 tbsp maple syrup 

• 2 medium bananas, peeled and sliced into rounds 

Preparation time
20 minutes (plus cooling) 

Cooking time
35 minutes 

Serves 12 

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan forced). Grease a 12 hole (1/4 cup capacity) mini cheesecake pan. Line a large oven tray with baking paper. 
2. Place pumpkin on lined oven tray and roast for 25 minutes or until tender. Puree until smooth in a small food processor. Refrigerate for 1 hour to cool. You will need 3/4 cup (200g) pumpkin purée. 
3. Combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, bicarbonate soda and salt in a medium bowl and mix. Add pumpkin puree and butter to the dry ingredients and mix until smooth. Divide batter between moulds and bake for 15 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Transfer cakes onto a wire rack to cool. 
4. Meanwhile, use the paddle attachment of an electric mixer to beat cream cheese for 30 seconds until smooth. Add cream and maple syrup and beat to smooth stiff peaks. Refrigerate until needed. 
5. Melt extra butter and extra sugar in a small frying pan. Simmer over high heat for 3 minutes or until sugar has dissolved and mix is golden and starting to slightly thicken. Add extra cream and bring to the boil, remove from the heat and refrigerate until needed. 
6. Place cakes on a serving platter and top each with a little whipped cream cheese, banana and drizzle with butterscotch. 

TIP – If you don’t have a mini cheesecake pan, a mini cupcake pan is a great alternative. 

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