- 525ml/18fl oz vegetable oil
- 525g/1lb 3oz soft light brown sugar
- 9 large free-range eggs, beaten
- 420g/15oz pumpkin (or butternut squash), grated
- 300g/10½oz raisins
- 3 oranges, finely grated zest only
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda or 3 tsp baking powder
- 4 tsp mixed ground spices (such as cinnamon, star anise, cardamom and nutmeg)
- 525g/1lb 3oz self-raising flour
- 450g/1lb butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
- 900g/2lb icing sugar, sifted
- orange and yellow edible marigolds (or other bright edible flowers), to decorate
- Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Grease and line three loose-bottomed round tins, 20cm/8in, 18cm/7in and 15cm/6in in diameter.
- Mix together the oil and sugar until combined. Slowly mix in the eggs. Add the pumpkin, raisins and orange zest and mix well.
- Sieve together the bicarbonate of soda, spices and flour. Gradually add this mixture to the pumpkin mixture until fully incorporated. Pour into the prepared tins until they are a little over halfway up.
- Bake in the centre of the oven. The 15cm/6in cake should take 25 minutes, the 18cm/7in cake should take 35 minutes and 20cm/8in should take 45 minutes. Test if each cake is cooked by checking if a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.
- For the icing, whisk together the butter and icing sugar until combined.
- Once the cakes have cooled, cover the cakes with the icing. Stack the cakes and decorate with flowers.