Description
Brighten up your Halloween celebrations with this fun and festive Jack-o’-Lantern Cake! This moist and delicious cake is perfect for parties and is sure to be a hit with kids and adults alike.
Ingredients
Scale
- For the Cake:
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
- For the Frosting:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups confectioners’ sugar
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Orange food coloring
- Black decorating icing
Instructions
- Prepare the Cake: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×13 inch baking pan.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
- In a large bowl, cream together softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together buttermilk and pumpkin puree.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the pumpkin mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
- Pour batter into the prepared baking pan and spread evenly.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting it onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare the Frosting: In a large bowl, beat softened butter until creamy.
- Gradually add confectioners’ sugar, alternating with milk, beating until smooth and creamy. Stir in vanilla extract.
- Add orange food coloring until desired pumpkin color is achieved.
- Decorate the Cake: Once the cake is completely cool, spread the orange frosting evenly over the top and sides of the cake.
- Use black decorating icing to draw a Jack-o’-lantern face (eyes, nose, and mouth) onto the frosted cake.
- Chill for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- For a round cake, you can bake this batter in two 8 or 9-inch round cake pans. Adjust baking time accordingly.
- You can also use cream cheese frosting for a different flavor profile.
- Feel free to add chocolate chips or chopped nuts to the cake batter for extra texture.
- Ensure your pumpkin puree is not pumpkin pie filling, as it contains added spices and sugar.
- Prep Time: PT30M
- Cook Time: PT35M
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 55g
- Sodium: 250mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Carbohydrates: 60g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 80mg