Pumpkin Patch Torte

Name: Pumpkin Patch Torte
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 12 servings.
Ingredients: 1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin; 1 cup packed brown sugar; 1/2 cup sugar; 4 eggs; 1/2 cup canola oil; 2 cups all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1 teaspoon ground ginger; 1/2 teaspoon salt; FROSTING:; 1 cup maple syrup; 2 egg whites; 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar; 3 drops green food coloring; 1 drop yellow food coloring; Candy pumpkins

This Halloween cake is unforgettably moist and delicious, and not too sweet. The frosting's subtle maple flavor is the perfect accompaniment to the pumpkin cake. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

Ingredients

1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
4 eggs
1/2 cup canola oil
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
FROSTING:
1 cup maple syrup
2 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
3 drops green food coloring
1 drop yellow food coloring
Candy pumpkins

Directions

Line a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan with waxed paper; grease the paper. In a large bowl, combine the pumpkin, sugars, eggs and oil until well blended. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and salt; gradually add to pumpkin mixture. Pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely. Carefully remove waxed paper.
For frosting, in a large heavy saucepan over low heat, combine the syrup, egg whites and cream of tartar. With a portable mixer, beat on low speed for 1 minute. Continue beating until frosting reaches 160°, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Beat on high speed until frosting forms stiff peaks, about 7 minutes. Remove 1/4 cup frosting to a small bowl; tint with green and yellow food coloring and set aside.
Cut cake widthwise into thirds. Place one layer on a serving plate; spread with a third of the frosting. Repeat layers. Arrange pumpkins on cake; add vines with the green frosting.

Originally published as Pumpkin Patch Torte in Halloween Party Favorites 2009

Reviews

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bake2win

Oct 31, 2014

I made this for the Halloween dessert contest at work and my co-workers loved it, received "Tastiest" dessert award.
Carmellag

Oct 28, 2014

My family totally loved this cake. I took pictures of my daughter and I through out the process and we had so much fun all the way through the last bite. It turned out looking just like the picture and we have only had 1 pumpkin slide off the top otherwise we had peaks and valleys for 2 days. It's definitely more than 12 servings we actually got about 28 out of it as we shared with friends and we are a family of 6 and had some 2 days in a row. Thank you Taste of Home Test Kitchen. This is a winner according to my family.
jance1a

Nov 8, 2012

You should freeze the cake and use cream cheese frosting.
TheDix

Oct 29, 2012

Frustrating...could not get the egg white mixture to have stiff peaks. Could be the weather (?) or that I didn't have a candy thermometer. Made it a cake in a 9 x 13 dish. More trouble to make than it was worth.
JessBella6

Oct 29, 2012

The cake had great flavor but I didn't love the maple frosting.
Summy

Oct 18, 2012

I'm going to try making this recipe, but I'll do it the way my Mom would have made it: like a jelly roll. Since it's nice and thin, I'm going to spread the frosting on the cake without cutting it into pieces. Then just roll it up! Hopefully it will work :)
nancywho

Oct 15, 2012

This cake had a very nice taste and was moist. I followed the directions and took it to a picnic 5 minutes away and by the time I arrived it had slid apart and was a mess and impossible to straighten. I wish I had read the reviews before I made it. The icing was very good and worth the time it took to make it. I might make it again but not in layers but one layer in a 9x13 pan.
Tess1919

Feb 13, 2011

Made this for a fall birthday. Delicious cake, although I make cream cheese frosting instead of the recipe's icing. It was a hit at the party. Also easy way to decorate.
beadlooms

Nov 6, 2010

Everything went fine until I put the frosting on the Torte. What a mess! Slip sliding away! Toothpicks all over! The cake is nice and moist but could hardly taste the pumpkin in it. It tasted more like a spice cake than anything. For all my effort I was very disappointed. 15 minutes of beating the frosting was not worth the effort.
Happpymomof3

Nov 3, 2010

I agree, the cake was good but would do a cream cheese frosting next time. My cake slid all around too!