Jack-o’-Lantern Cake

Name: Jack-o'-Lantern Cake
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 16 servings.
Ingredients: 2 packages spice cake mix (regular size); 4 cans (16 ounces each) vanilla frosting; Red and yellow food coloring; 1 ice cream cake cone (about 3 inches tall); 2 Oreo cookies; 1 package (24 ounces) ready-to-use rolled black fondant

I pieced two fluted tube pan cakes together to make this gap-toothed grinner that will make the best-ever centerpiece at your Halloween party. —Julianne Johnson, Grove City, Minnesota

Ingredients

2 packages spice cake mix (regular size)
4 cans (16 ounces each) vanilla frosting
Red and yellow food coloring
1 ice cream cake cone (about 3 inches tall)
2 Oreo cookies
1 package (24 ounces) ready-to-use rolled black fondant

Directions

Prepare and bake cakes according to package directions using two 10-in. fluted tube pans. Invert cakes onto wire racks; cool completely. Meanwhile, tint frosting orange using red and yellow food coloring.
Cut thin slice off bottom of each cake. Spread one cake bottom with frosting; press flat sides together to make a pumpkin shape. Place a foil ball in the center to support the "stem"; top with an ice cream cake cone. Frost cake with remaining frosting.
To decorate face, roll out fondant to 1/8-in. thickness; cut into desired shapes for mouth and nose. Remove tops from two Oreo cookies; cut half-circles in filling for eyes. Press cookies and fondant into frosting to make the face.

Originally published as Pumpkin Cake in Halloween Bookazine 2015

Reviews

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Average Rating:

imbunky2

Oct 28, 2016

We were really happy with the outcome of this cake! Luckily I had my beautiful son's help. He computer re-sized the nose and mouth for the cake which we traced and he ate the additional Oreos. My neighbors, son and I were very impressed with the appearance and flavors of this cake.NOTES: I made 3 MISTAKES. I own only 1 Bundt pan which was fine for this cake. My 1ST MISTAKE was baking the first cake the night before I needed to finish the cake. After securely covering the first cake the night before, it fell apart in 5 pieces when transferring it to my board. It had stuck through the parchment paper into the baking rack. (I didn't follow the directions.) My 2nd cake was baked the next morning and was perfect. BUT, we needed to make a trip to the store for a 3rd cake mix to replace the 1st demolished cake, so I needed to bake a 3rd cake to compensate. The 2ND MISTAKE was purchasing a Sugar Sheet for the nose and mouth because it would reduce the total cost of the cake. Sugar Sheets are 1/2 the cost of Fondant Sheets. I had never worked with either a Sugar Sheet nor Fondant and was unaware that there is a difference. I learned that Fondant is more flexible than a Sugar Sheet. Sugar Sheets are stiff and not made to be bent. After learning this, we again went to a store for a black Fondant Sheet but of course the store was out of them. We needed to purchase a container of black Fondant. The Fondant was SO easy to work with and we didn't need any "specialized" Fondant tools like are always advertised.After 3 cake mixes, 6 trips to stores (due to a high and dry search for colored ice cream cones), my son and I had a beautiful, flavorful work of art for our neighbors.BTW: We were unable to locate the colored ice cream cones for the stem at our local markets. I contacted an ice cream cone manufacturer and found that the colored cones are sold ONLY under generic names as an "18 pack of colored ice cream cups" at just a few locations in our large city. Smart & Final is the only local retail market that carried them. Kroger was another store that carries them.With all the hassles and unbelievable messes I created, my son and I wouldn't hesitate to make this delicious cake again.
kind.vij

Feb 22, 2016

I love it.
collpool

Oct 21, 2015

cool
susan.white

Oct 5, 2015

We love it