Description
Celebrate fall with this festive Great Bundt-kin cake inspired by Charlie Brown! Two moist and spiced pumpkin-infused Bundt cakes are stacked, frosted with vibrant orange and green frosting, and topped with a decorated ice cream cone ‘stem’ for a charming pumpkin look. Perfect for Halloween or autumn gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake
- Cooking spray, for greasing
- 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 food coloring
- Green food coloring
- 1 cake ice cream cone
- Green and orange sprinkles and Halloween candy, for decorating (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the Oven and Pan: Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously grease a 12-cup Bundt pan with cooking spray to ensure easy cake release.
- Mix First Cake Batter: In a large bowl using an electric mixer on low speed, combine 1 box cake mix, 1 box instant 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 until fully combined, scraping sides and bottom to incorporate all ingredients evenly.
- Bake First Cake: Pour batter into prepared Bundt pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Repeat for Second Cake: Wipe out the Bundt pan. Repeat steps 2 and 3 with the remaining ingredients (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 extract, and 1/2 cup water) to bake the second cake.
- Prepare Colored Frosting: Spoon 1 3/4 cups frosting into a heatproof 2-cup measuring cup and mix in orange food coloring until the desired shade is achieved.
- Level and Assemble Cakes: Using a large serrated knife, level the rounded bottoms of the cooled cakes to create flat surfaces. Place one cake smooth side up on a serving platter, spread 3/4 cup orange frosting evenly over it, then carefully align and place the second cake on top. Secure the layers with dowels or straws if using, trimming them as needed. Refrigerate the stacked cake for 15 minutes.
- Prepare Green Frosting and Decorate Cone: In a small bowl, mix 3 tablespoons of frosting with green food coloring to desired shade. Spread the green frosting over the ice cream cone and decorate with green sprinkles if desired.
- Create Drip Effect with Frosting: Microwave the remaining orange frosting in 3-second increments, stirring between each, until just pourable (about 10 seconds total). Slowly pour the warmed frosting over the cake in a circular motion to create a drip effect. Decorate with orange sprinkles if preferred.
- Final Assembly: Fill any holes or gaps in the layered cakes with Halloween candy if using. Place the frosted ice cream cone upside down on top of the cake to resemble a pumpkin stem.
Notes
- Use a Bundt pan with a capacity of 12 cups for proper sizing.
- Food coloring amounts can be adjusted based on desired color intensity.
- Dowels or straws help stabilize the two-layer cake.
- Optional decorations allow customization for festive presentation.
- Allow cakes to cool completely before frosting to prevent melting.
- Store any leftovers covered in refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approx. 1/24th of cake)
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 28g
- Sodium: 280mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
