Not only is this cake shaped like a pumpkin, but it also tastes like pumpkin, including all the traditional spices you would find in a pumpkin pie. The cake recipe itself is quite easy, because it starts with a pre-packaged yellow cake mix. Things start to get interesting when you assemble and put the frosting on this cake.

You first have to sort of “glue” your two Bundt cakes and their hidden muffins together. Then you have to cover all those Bundt bumps and lumps with enough Icing that you can sculpt a nice round pumpkin shape out of it. It is a fairly complicated process, but aren’t the results worth it?

INGREDIENTS

For the Cake

1 yellow cake mix (I used Pillsbury)

1 (15-oz. /425g) can pumpkin puree

1 egg

¼ cup (60 ML) vegetable oil

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 mini muffin pan

2 half-size Bundt pans

 

For the frosting

½ cup (113g) vegetable shortening (such as Crisco)

½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla (use clear vanilla for pure white frosting)

4 cups (512g) powdered sugar

2 tablespoons milk (or more for thinner consistency)

Orange, green and black food coloring (I used Wilton brand)

2 plastic disposable pastry bags (I used Wilton brand)

2 couplers

2 (#5) tips and a #352 tip

 

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 1½ 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 a mini muffin in the middle of the first cake and place it (rounded side down) on a cake board. 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 frosting.

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 frosting 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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Quick Tip:  Note that this recipe uses “half-size” Bundt pans. If all you have is a regular-sized Bundt pan, you will need to double the recipe for both cake and icing, as well as using full-sized cupcakes instead of mini cupcakes to fill the holes.

Recipe and image courtesy of Lise at Mom Loves Baking