Preheat the oven to 175°C (fan 160°C). Grease a 23cm round springform tin and line the base with a circle of parchment paper. The paper should sit flat and snug — run your fingers around the edge to be sure.

Whisk the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl: flour, both sugars, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt. Watch the spices bloom as they mix — the cinnamon will release a warm, woody scent that tells you it's fresh.

In a separate jug or bowl, whisk the eggs until they look pale and frothy, about 30 seconds. Pour in the oil, pumpkin purée and vanilla extract. Stir until the mixture is a single, smooth sunset-orange pool with no streaks of egg white visible.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Fold gently with a rubber spatula, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl. Stop as soon as you see no more flour — the batter will look thick, glossy and slightly billowy, like heavy cream about to turn.

Scrape the batter into the prepared tin and spread it level with the back of a spoon. Give the tin a gentle tap on the worktop to release any hidden air bubbles — you'll hear a soft thud as they rise.

Bake for 40–45 minutes. After 35 minutes, check by inserting a skewer into the centre: it should emerge clean or with a few moist crumbs clinging to it, not wet batter. The top will be a deep golden brown, and the edges will have pulled away slightly from the tin. A gentle press in the centre should spring back without leaving an indent.

Cool the cake in the tin on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edge, then release the springform clasp. Let the cake cool completely on the rack — the crumb continues to set as it cools, so be patient. The kitchen will smell of toasted spices and warm vanilla, a promise of what's to come.