Pumpkin Jack O'Lantern Cake

Directions

Pumpkin Spice Cakes

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C). Generously spray 2 bundt pans. 
   
2. In a medium bowl combine the 2 packages of  Kinnikinnick White Cake Mixes and spices. Mix until combined and set aside.
3. In a separate bowl whisk eggs, oil and water until combined.
4. Add dry mix alternating with pumpkin purée. Mix until combined and batter is smooth.
5. Divide batter into prepared bundt pans.
6. Bake in preheated oven for 55 - 60 minutes or until cake springs back to the touch.
7. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes.
8. Invert bundt pans onto cake boards.
9. Cool completely.  

Spiced Whipped Cream Filling 

1. In a medium bowl combine sifted icing sugar and spices. Set aside.
2. In a separate bowl whip whipping cream to medium peak.
3. Slowly add icing sugar mixture and continue mixing until stiff peak.
4. Refrigerate until ready to use.  

Orange Coloured Buttercream Icing  

1. In medium bowl mix butter until smooth.
2. Slowly add sifted icing sugar mixture 1 cup at a time alternating with milk. Mix until smooth and incorporated.
3. Add food colouring 1 - 2 drops at a time. Mix until combined.
4. Cover icing or place icing in a piping bag.
5. Do not refrigerate.

Royal Icing (Optional for vines and leaves)

1. In a medium bowl whip egg white to soft peak.
2. Slowly add icing sugar, mix until smooth.
3. Colour with green food colouring 1 drop at a time.
4. Place in a piping bag with a small writing tip (#2).
5. Refrigerate until ready to use. 

Decorations

Pumpkin Stem

1. Cover Ice cream cones with melted chocolate.
2. Place on a wire rack for excess chocolate to run off.
3. Let chocolate set completely prior to adding to cake. 

Rolled Fondant (Optional Jack O' Lantern Face)

1. Colour rolled fondant with a few drops of yellow food colouring. Work coloured fondant in your hands to create a smooth even-coloured fondant.
2. Using a rolling pin, roll out fondant with the aid of icing sugar or a piece of parchment paper.
3. Cut-out two eyes, nose and a mouth. Set aside.   

Assembly

Slicing Cake 

1. Once cakes have cooled, slice a thin layer off top of each cake to create a flat even surface.
2. Take a spoon and scoop out an indent/canal around the top of each cake about 2 inches deep (leaving 1 - 1½ inches of cake along the inside and outside edge of the cake. 

Filling 

1. Fill indent in both cake layers with Spiced Whipped Cream.
2. Use an offset pallet knife to smooth filling (even top layer).
3. Place both cakes in the freezer to set filling for 30 minutes.
4. Remove cakes from freezer and invert one filled cake on top of the other (both filled sides facing inwards to create a pumpkin shape).
5. Using your hands, line cake layers together so their seams are flush. 

Icing Cake 

1. Pipe or spread a thin layer of Orange Coloured Buttercream Icing along the outside of the Pumpkin Jack O' Lantern Cake. This is the crumb coat to help seal cake layers together and prevent crumbs in your final layer.
2. Smooth with an offset spatula.
3. Place Pumpkin Jack O' Lantern Cake in the refrigerator for 30 minutes for crumb coat to set.
4. Remove Pumpkin Jack O' Lantern Cake from refrigerator.
5. Cover with final layer of Orange Coloured Buttercream Icing.
6. Smooth icing with wet hands or a wet offset spatula to create a smooth shinny layer.
7. Place remaining Orange Coloured Buttercream Icing in a piping bag with a writing tip #3.
8. Place iced Pumpkin Jack O' Lantern Cake on serving tray (use the aid of cake board to move).  
9. Pipe thin lines along outside, starting from the inside edge of the cake and working your way to the base of the cake (to create lines of a pumpkin).

Royal Icing Decorations 

1. Using a piping bag with a #2 writing tip, pipe vines from the centre of the cake down.
2. Add additional vines on serving plate if desired.
3. Place remaining Royal Icing in a separate piping bag with a leaf tip (or slice the piping bag in a small V shape at the base).
4. Pipe a few leaves on vines. 

Additional Decorations 

1. Place chocolate dipped cone in the top centre of the cake to create a stem.
2. Fill any space around chocolate dipped cone with Orange  Coloured Buttercream Icing.
3. Using a paint brush, wet the back side of rolled-out fondant pieces.
4. Attach fondant pieces to create Jack O’ Lantern Face.
5. Use paint brush or fingers to smooth fondant pieces.
6. Use the end of the paint brush handle to create an indent for eyes.
7. Pipe green dots for centre of eyes or use round edible candies.
   Yields 1 cake