Halloween Mini-Cakes

Total Time

Prep: 1 hour Bake: 20 min. + cooling

Makes

1-1/2 dozen

Updated: Sep. 10, 2022
Pumpkin and ghost cookie cutters make it a snap to shape these cute little cakes. A simple icing gives the sweet treats their spook-tacular look. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

Ingredients

  • 1 package yellow cake mix (regular size)
  • 9 cups confectioners' sugar, divided
  • 9 tablespoons milk, divided
  • 4 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon light corn syrup, divided
  • Orange and black paste or gel food coloring

Directions

  1. Grease two 13x9-in. baking pans; line with parchment and set aside. Prepare cake batter according to package directions. Pour into prepared pans.
  2. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes. Using parchment, remove cakes from pans and invert onto wire racks; carefully peel off parchment. Cool completely.
  3. Cut 1 cake into pumpkin shapes and the second cake into ghost shapes using 3-in. cookie cutters dipped in confectioners' sugar. Carefully arrange individual cakes on wire racks over waxed paper.
  4. For icing, in each of 2 large bowls, combine 4 cups confectioners' sugar, 4 tablespoons milk and 2 tablespoons corn syrup until smooth. Tint icing in 1 bowl orange. Place orange icing in a heavy-duty resealable bag; cut a small hole in a corner of bag. Pipe over top of pumpkin shapes, allowing icing to drape over cake sides. Repeat with white icing and ghost cakes. Let stand for 30 minutes or until icing is set and dry.
  5. In a small bowl, combine the remaining confectioners' sugar, milk and corn syrup until smooth. Tint black. Pipe faces onto pumpkin and ghost cakes.