Method (Cake)

1. Preheat your oven to 180ºC fan and line an 8 x 8 inch square cake tin with greaseproof paper. Allow the paper to hang over the tin slightly, this makes it easier to remove the cake when baked.
2. In a bowl, combine the dairy-free milk with the apple cider vinegar and whisk until fully combined. Set aside for 10 minutes to curdle. This creates a vegan ‘buttermilk’. Add in the pumpkin puree and whisk to combine.
3. In a large mixing bowl, sift the sugar, flour, ground spices, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda. Mix well to combine. Add the oil into the ‘buttermilk’ and whisk to combine.
4. Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix just to combine.
5. Spoon the batter into the lined tin. Level it out with the back of a spoon or offset spatula.
6. Place the cake into the middle of the preheated oven and bake for around 25-30 minutes. You will know it is done when you put a knife or skewer down the middle of the cake and it comes out clean and it’s springy to the touch. If batter comes off on the skewer, it needs more time to bake. To prevent burning, top the cake with some greaseproof paper then return back into the oven.
7. Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes then carefully transfer onto a cooling rack. Allow to cool fully before filling and frosting. You can even place the cake in a sealed container once cool then frost the day after. It’s a very light sponge so be careful with it when removing from the tin.

Method (cake soak)

1. While the cake cools, make the cake soak by mixing together the instant coffee, condensed milk, milk and pumpkin pie spice in a bowl until combined, then pour into something which you can easily pour it over the cake.
2. When the cake has completely cooled, poke holes in the top of the cake using a wooden stick or the handle of a wooden spoon (the size of the holes and how much filling depends on how large the holes are.
3. Slowly pour the cake soak mixture on top of the cake, so that it runs into the poke holes and soaks into the cake.
4. Transfer smooth Biscoff spread into a piping bag and snip off the tip. Pipe the Biscoff spread into the poke holes, be as generous as you like. 

Method (cream cheese frosting)

1. In a stand mixer with balloon whisk attachment or in a bowl with an electric hand whisk, add in the soft butter and cold cream cheese, whisk on high speed for around 5 minutes – 8 minutes until pale and creamy. 
2. Gradually add in the icing / powdered sugar along with the vanilla and ground coffee. Whip until it’s thick and fluffy. If its too thick, add in some more chunks of cream cheese, too soft, add in more icing sugar to get it to the perfect creamy consistency. 
3. Spoon the frosting on top of the cold cake (make sure its fully cold as any heat from the cake will instantly melt the frosting). Spread out using an off set spatula or the back of a spoon. Make swirls in the frosting for decoration.
4. Melt some Biscoff spread so it’s runnier in consistency, spoon the melted Biscoff spread to the top of the cake (refer to video for example), and swirl around.
5. Lastly, finish with a dusting of pumpkin spice.
6. Slice the cake into squares using a sharp knife.