Pumpkin Pie Petit Fours - cooking recipe

Ingredients

Cake
1 cup plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
0.5 (14 ounce) can pumpkin puree
2 large eggs
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
Frosting
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup cream cheese
Decoration
orange candy melts to decorate cake
vegetable shortening
yellow nonpareils to decorate cake

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350°F Grease and line 4 x 4\" cake sandwich pans with baking parchment.
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and spice.
In the medium bowl, beat together the oil, eggs, sugar and pumpkin puree until smooth. Add to the dry ingredients and mix together well.
Divide the mixture between the prepared tins and bake for 15 minutes until firm to the touch and a skewer, when inserted into the center, comes out clean.
Leave to cool on a wire rack.
To make the frosting-beat the butter until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the sugar and vanilla and finally beat in the cream cheese, a little at a time.
Split the sponges in half. Spread half of the frosting over the bottom half of each cake. Place on the top half and press down firmly. Cut each into 8 wedges and place in the freezer for 1 hour.
Heat the candy melts in the microwave until melted, adding a little shortening to get a smooth, fluid, dipping consistency.
Dip the cake wedges into the candy melts and leave on a wire rack to set. Finally, fill the piping bag with the rest of the frosting and decorate the pies. Sprinkle with the non pareils.