Tutorial Tuesday: Pumpkin Bundt Cake!

How clever & amazing is it that a bundt pan just so happens to have the same ridges as a pumpkin?  I mean, it is almost like destiny that you have the perfect mold for a fabulous & festive cake!  You can either make the whole pumpkin or just go halfsies and create a terrific top with a twirly stem, whatever floats your boat.  Before we start, a bit more inspiration . . .

Pumpkin Bundt Cake

Ingredients:

~ 2 (18.25 oz.) pkgs. cake mix, any flavor

~ 2 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened

~ 1/2 C. (1 stick) butter, softened

~ 8 C. powdered sugar

~ 2 tsp. vanilla extract

~ pinch salt

~ Red, yellow, and green food coloring

~ Black paste food coloring (optional)

~ 1 flat-bottomed ice-cream cone (turned upside down to make the stem)

~ 2 bundt cake pans

Directions:

1. Prepare cake batters according to package directions and bake each as directed in a prepared (greased and floured) non-stick bundt pan. If you only have one bundt pan, simply make your cake mixes in two separate batches.

2. Let cool completely.

3. To prepare frosting: In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, vanilla, salt, and butter with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add powdered sugar in four stages, beating well with the electric mixer after each addition. (Feeling lazy? Simply use 2 tubs of packaged prepared frosting)

4. Seperate out about one cup of frosting. Add green food coloring to reach you desired shade of green.

5. Separate out another 1/4 cup of frosting. Add black paste food coloring to make black frosting. (This is for a Jack o Lantern face, and is optional.)

6. To the remaining frosting, add red and yellow food coloring (or simply buy orange), until you get your desired shade of orange.

7. The first thing you'll want to frost is your ice cream cone "stem." Smoothly frost entire outside of cone with green frosting. Place in the refrigerator or freezer until chilled. The harder the frosting, the easier it will be to manipulate later without smudging.

8. Meanwhile, place one inverted bundt cake on your serving platter. Frost "top" (what should be the bottom) of bundt cake with orange frosting.

9. Place remaining prepared bundt cake right-side-up on top of inverted cake. The frosting should help them stick together.

10. Frost entire outside of cake with orange frosting.

11. Using black-tinted frosting and a cake decorator's bag (or a plastic bag with a tiny hole in it), paint on a Jack o' Lantern face (optional).

12. Insert green-frosted ice cream cone into the hole in the middle of your bundt cake.

13. With remaining green frosting in a cake decorator's bag (or a plastic bag with a tiny hole in it), create lines, leaves, and/or vines, as desired.

(Recipe Courtesy of Divine Dinner Party)

So simple and so very sweet!  You can make them any flavor your little heart desires and you can even do mini ones if you would like a whole patch of pumpkins for your next party!  Brilliant!