Halloween: Pumpkin Patch Cake

This pumpkin cake skips the carved-fondant fuss and goes straight for the easiest pumpkin shape in baking: two ridged bundt cakes stacked bottom-to-bottom, so the ridges line up like a pumpkin’s natural grooves. A small cupcake baked from leftover batter becomes the green stem on top.

Devil’s food gives you the deep brown crumb that contrasts well against bright orange frosting, but the real magic is in how the two bundt rings nest together. The hollow center where they meet gets packed with extra frosting so the cake holds steady on the platter and doesn’t slide apart when you cut it.

For the face, candy corn becomes triangle eyes and a nose, black licorice cords twist into a jagged grin. It’s a no-fondant, no-piping-skill project that even kids can help decorate.

Kitchen Tips

• Bake the cupcake first or alongside the bundts. It needs to be fully cool before you can frost it green and stand it up as a stem.
• Cool the bundts completely before stacking. Warm cake will melt the frosting and slide.
• Tint the orange frosting with a mix of red and yellow gel coloring for a richer, more pumpkin-true shade than premixed orange.
• Use a serrated knife to lightly level the flat tops of each bundt before stacking. Flat surfaces grip each other through the frosting and stay put.

Variations

• Swap devil’s food for spice cake or pumpkin cake mix to lean into the seasonal flavor.
• Use cream cheese frosting instead of plain white for a tangier finish that complements the chocolate.
• Add gummy worms crawling out from the base for extra Halloween effect.