Description
Celebrate Halloween with this festive ‘It’s The Great Bundt-kin, Charlie Brown’ cake recipe featuring pumpkin-spiced Bundt cakes layered and decorated with colorful frostings, sprinkles, and candy. Perfect for a spooky party or fall gathering, this moist and flavorful cake combines pumpkin puree and warm spices for a delicious treat.
Ingredients
Scale
CAKE
- Cooking spray, for greasing pans
- 2 (15.25-oz.) boxes white or yellow cake mix, divided
- 2 (3.4-oz.) boxes instant vanilla or pumpkin pudding, divided
- 8 large eggs, divided
- 2 cups pumpkin puree, divided
- 2/3 cup vegetable oil, divided
- 1/2 cup sour cream, divided
- 3 tsp pumpkin pie spice, divided
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract, divided
- 1 cup water, divided
ASSEMBLY
- 2 1/2 cups plus 3 tbsp store-bought vanilla or cream cheese frosting (from 2 [16-oz.] containers), divided
- Orange and green food coloring
- 1 cake ice cream cone
- Green and orange sprinkles, for decorating (optional)
- Halloween candy, for decorating (optional)
- 2 to 3 (12″) dowels or straws (optional, for structural support)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Batter: Preheat oven to 350°F and generously grease a 12-cup Bundt pan with cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine 1 box cake mix, 1 box pudding, 4 eggs, 1 cup pumpkin puree, 1/3 cup vegetable oil, 1/4 cup sour cream, 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice, 1 tsp vanilla extract, and 1/2 cup water. Beat on low speed with electric or stand mixer until combined, scraping sides and bottom to incorporate.
- Bake First Cake Layer: Pour batter into the prepared Bundt pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare and Bake Second Cake Layer: Wipe out the Bundt pan. Repeat the batter preparation process with the remaining 1 box cake mix, 1 box pudding, 4 eggs, 1 cup pumpkin puree, 1/3 cup oil, 1/4 cup sour cream, 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice, 1 tsp vanilla, and 1/2 cup water. Bake as before, then cool completely on wire rack.
- Color Frosting: Spoon 1 3/4 cups frosting into a heatproof 2-cup measuring cup and add orange food coloring; mix until desired orange shade is achieved.
- Level and Layer Cakes: Using a serrated knife, level the rounded bottoms of both cooled cakes. Place one cake smooth side up on a serving platter and spread with 3/4 cup of the orange frosting. Place second cake on top aligning edges; secure with dowels or straws if desired. Refrigerate for 15 minutes to set.
- Prepare Cone Decoration: In a small bowl, mix 3 tbsp frosting with green food coloring until desired green shade is reached. Spread green frosting evenly over the cake ice cream cone and decorate with green sprinkles if using.
- Decorate Cake with Drip: Microwave the remaining orange frosting in 3-second increments, stirring between each, until just pourable (about 10 seconds total). Slowly pour the orange frosting over the cake in a circular motion to create a drip effect. Decorate with orange sprinkles if desired.
- Final Assembly: Fill any holes in the cakes with Halloween candy if using. Place the frosted ice cream cone upside down on top of the cake to complete the festive look.
Notes
- You can use either white or yellow cake mix depending on your preference.
- Instant vanilla or pumpkin pudding can be substituted based on flavor preference.
- If you don’t have a stand mixer, an electric hand mixer works perfectly.
- Dowels or sturdy straws help stabilize the layered cake if transporting.
- Allow cakes to cool completely before frosting for best results.
- Customize decorations to fit your Halloween theme or party aesthetic.
- Refrigerate cake after assembly and before serving to set the frosting properly.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (based on 24 servings)
- Calories: 390
- Sugar: 28g
- Sodium: 320mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 65mg
