Description
Create a festive and eye-catching Jack-O’Lantern Halloween Cake with rich chocolate bundt cake layers and vibrant American buttercream frosting. This layered bundt cake is expertly carved and decorated to resemble a classic pumpkin, making it the perfect centerpiece for your Halloween celebration.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Tin Coating
- 125 g unsalted butter, melted
- Cocoa powder, for dusting
Chocolate Bundt Cake (for one cake)
- 350 g all-purpose flour (plain flour)
- 450 g caster sugar (superfine sugar)
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- 1 tsp fine salt
- 50 g cocoa powder, sifted
- 350 g unsalted butter, softened
- 4 large eggs (55g each), room temperature
- 350 g milk, room temperature
Frosting
- 3 batches American Buttercream Frosting
- 8 drops orange food gel
- 4 tbsp cocoa powder
- 100 g dark chocolate, melted
- 3 drops green food gel
- 5 drops black food gel
Instructions
- Cake Tin Coating: Use a pastry brush or paper towel to coat the inside of a large Bundt cake tin with melted butter. Dust generously with cocoa powder, then invert the tin and tap to remove excess cocoa. Set aside to prepare for cake batter.
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat a fan-forced oven to 140°C (285°F) or 160°C (320°F) if your oven is without a fan.
- Prepare Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, caster sugar, bicarbonate of soda, fine salt, and sifted cocoa powder until thoroughly combined.
- Add Butter and Eggs: With a mixer on low speed, gradually add softened butter in tablespoon increments until incorporated. Then slowly add the eggs one at a time. After the eggs are mixed, slowly pour in the milk while mixing. Continue mixing for 3-4 minutes, then scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix for another 1-2 minutes until batter is smooth.
- Bake the Cake: Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt cake tin and spread evenly with a spoon. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes before carefully flipping the cake out onto a cooling rack. Clean and dry the pan for the second batch.
- Second Cake: Repeat steps 3 to 5 to bake the second bundt cake. Allow both cakes to cool completely to room temperature. Use a serrated knife to level the flat bottoms for stacking.
- Prepare Frosting: Color one batch of American buttercream with 8 drops of orange food gel for the pumpkin base. For decorations, color 1/4 of another batch green with green food gel. To the remaining frosting, add cocoa powder and melted dark chocolate for chocolate frosting. Divide that chocolate frosting into two portions; add black food gel to one portion to create black frosting.
- Crumb Coat: Place a dab of orange frosting on a 10-inch cake board or large serving plate. Set the first cake curved side down on the board. Spread frosting on the flat side, then add the second cake flat side down on top. Apply a thin layer of orange frosting around the entire cake to trap crumbs. Chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
- Finish Frosting the Cake: Coat the chilled cake evenly with remaining orange frosting. Use an offset spatula to create multiple flat edges from bottom to top that resemble the shape of a pumpkin.
- Carve Pumpkin Face: Use a skewer to outline the facial features on the frosting. Carefully carve away the outlined frosting areas using a small spatula or knife without disturbing the cake. Fill carved areas with black frosting and smooth flat to simulate a carved pumpkin face.
- Create Stalk: Pipe the chocolate frosting on top of the pumpkin cake to form the pumpkin stalk. Smooth the sides with a small spatula for a natural look.
- Pipe Vines and Leaves: Divide remaining frosting between two piping bags fitted with a leaf tip and a small round tip. Use the round tip to pipe curling vines around the stalk, then add green leaves around and climbing up the stalk with the leaf tip.
Notes
- The Williams Sonoma Anniversary Bundt pan used measures 27 cm (10 inches) in diameter and 11 cm (4.5 inches) in height. If using a smaller Bundt pan, halve the recipe accordingly.
- Make two separate cakes as the recipe quantity is large; do not attempt to mix all batter at once to ensure even baking.
- Allow cakes to cool completely before leveling and frosting to avoid melting or sinking frosting layers.
- For a sharper pumpkin look, take your time carving the frosting and smoothing the black frosting.
- American buttercream frosting is recommended for stability and vibrant color results.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approximate)
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 35g
- Sodium: 280mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 13g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0.2g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 90mg
