Method (cakes)

1. Preheat your oven to 180ºC  fan and line two cupcake tins with cupcake cases.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, pumpkin spice, baking powder and baking soda. Mix to combine.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the the flaxseed with the water, stir and leave aside to jellify for 5 minutes until thickened.
4. Add the thickened flax into the dry along with the pumpkin puree, apple cider vinegar and oil. Mix until a smooth batter, don’t over-mix! 
5. Use spoons or an ice-cream scoop for ease to fill the cupcake cases 3/4 full with the batter. The cupcakes with rise a-lot so make sure not to over fill the cases. 
6. Place the cupcakes into the centre of the preheated oven and bake for 20-22 minutes. You will know they’re ready when you put a knife or skewer down the centre of the cupcake and it comes out clean and they’re springy to the touch.
7. Once baked, place the cupcakes on a cooling rack and allow to cool fully before icing. 

Method (buttercream)

1. In a large mixing bowl, add in the dairy-free butter, whip until creamy. I use a stand mixer with a balloon whisk attachment, a hand mixer will work great too.
2. Sift in the icing sugar, pumpkin spice and orange food gel. Whip for 5 minutes on high speed until the buttercream becomes pale and fluffy in texture. If it’s too runny, add in a few more chunks of butter to get it to the right consistency. You might need a splash of milk.
3. Separate a-little buttercream into a separate bowl and colour brown with brown food gel or some cocoa powder. Transfer both orange and brown buttercreams into separate piping bags and snip off the tips.
4. For the stalk, pipe a line of the brown buttercream into the silicone mould, then swirl over the orange to fill the entire pumpkin mould. Use an off-set spatula to smooth out the top and neaten (refer to video for example).
5. Turn a cupcake upside down and press into the buttercream to stick. Make sure it’s centeral to the pumpkin.
6. Place in the freezer for at least 20 minutes.
7. Once the pumpkin feels firm, carefully release the buttercream pumpkin from the mould by popping it out, being careful not to move the cupcake.
8. Allow to come back to room temperature before enjoying.