Pumpkin Pie Spice

Asked by suewinsue. Answered on 10th October 2015

Full question

Which spices are in pumpkin pie spice please? it is not available in OZ Will mixed spice be a good alternative? Love that Chocolate Fruit cake! Cheers! Sue.

Our answer

Nigella's Chocolate Fruit Cake (from Feast and on the Nigella website) uses pumpkin pie spice in the US version of the recipe (you may have the US version of the book) and mixed spice in the UK version. They are both a mixture of spices and are interchangeable. So mixed spice is perfect for the cake recipe.

Mixed spice should not be confuseed with allspice, which is a specific spice from the allspice berry. Both mixed spice and pumpkin pie spice have a base of ground cinnamon and ginger and also contain ground allspice, cloves, mace and nutmeg in varying quantities.