Halloween Pumpkin Cake

5 from 1 vote

Impress your party guests with this cute Halloween Pumpkin Cake with a jolly face. Pumpkin spice cake and buttercream frosting make this a delicious addition to your Halloween party!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1 5

Servings servings

Calories 311kcal

Author Lise Sullivan Ode

Ingredients

For the cake

1 box yellow cake mix I used Pillsbury
15 ounces pumpkin puree 425g
1 large egg
¼ cup vegetable oil 60 ml
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon cinnamon

For the frosting

½ cup vegetable shortening (such as Crisco) 113 g
½ cup unsalted butter, softened 113 g
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar 512 g
2 tablespoons milk or more for thinner consistency
food coloring orange, green and black

Instructions

For the cake

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two half size Bundt pans and one mini muffin pan. Set aside.
In large bowl, place all cake ingredients. With an electric mixer on low, beat until ingredients are combined. Turn speed up to medium and beat for 1 ½ minutes. Spoon about 2 tablespoons batter into each of 4 mini muffin cups. Pour the rest of the batter in equal amounts into prepared Bundt pans. Bake mini muffins for 20 minutes. Continue baking cakes for 15-25 minutes (or total of 35-45 minutes) or until a toothpick inserted into middle of cake comes out clean. Let cakes cool completely.
Meanwhile, prepare the frosting.
Place shortening in large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium high for two minutes. Add the butter and beat until combined. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add half the sugar. Add the milk and vanilla. Beat on low for a few seconds. Keep mixer on low and add the remaining sugar. Turn the mixer up to medium high and beat for 2 minutes. Add more milk if it's too thick.

Frosting and Decorating the Cake

Put ¼ cup of frosting in a separate bowl for the green and ¼ cup in another bowl for the black. Keep the remaining frosting white for the time being. Place the first cake (rounded side down) on a cake board. Place a mini muffin in the middle. Frost the top of the cake. Place the second cake on top (rounded side facing up). Place another muffin in the middle. Frost the center only with white. Color the remaining frosting orange. Frost the whole cake with the orange frosting. A small offset spatula works great for spreading (I used Wilton Brand). Frost a mini cupcake with green frosting. Place on top of cake. (The fourth mini muffin is extra.) Create vines in green with the #5 tip and leaves with the #352 tip. Draw the face in black with a #5 tip.
Store cake in the refrigerator.

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