Fall Baking Series: Great Pumpkin Cake

Ever see those recipes that look so easy? You know, the ones you think you can just whip up in no time at all? Well, this cake isn't that recipe. Oh, looks can be deceiving alright! Then again, my cake decorating skills need improvement. It is possible that someone else would actually have an easy time with this recipe. All that aside, the kids loved this cake and thought it was really cute!!

It is basically a cake mix baked in a 12-cup fluted tub pan. It is frosted with a cream cheese frosting that has been colored with food coloring. The pumpkin stem is a frosted ice cream cone.
The recipe actually says you can use any cake mix, but I learned my lesson with that one. I used a chocolate cake mix and you could see the chocolate cake peeking through the frosting. Lesson number one is to chose a light cake mix.

I made my own cream cheese frosting, hence lesson number two. While my homemade frosting was delicious, it was much thinner. I should have followed the recipe in the book. I think their recipe would've yielded a thicker frosting making it easier to cover the cake. Instead, I fought to frost this cake for at least an hour.

I will try this recipe again next year, or maybe for Thanksgiving. Next time, I'm going to buy a light cake mix and make the frosting in the book. After all, this recipe should be easy!!

Great Pumpkin Cake - Halloween Food, Fun & Crafts
1 pkg. (2-layer) cake mix, any flavor
1 pkg. (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
4 cups powdered sugar
Few drops each: green, red and yellow food coloring
1 cake-style ice cream cone

Prepare cake batter and bake in 12-cup fluted tube pan as directed on package. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Invert cake onto wire rack; remove pan. Cool cake completely. Meanwhile, beat cream cheese and butter in medium bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until blended. Gradually add sugar, beating until well blended after each addition. Remove 1/2 cup of the frosting; place in small bowl. Add green food coloring; stir until well blended. Spread half of the green frosting onto outside of ice cream cone; set aside. Cover and reserve remaining green frosting for later use. Add red and yellow food colorings to remaining white frosting to tint it orange. Spread onto cake to resemble pumpkin. Invert ice cream cone in hole in top of cake for the pumpkin's stem. Pipe the reserved green frosting in vertical lines down side of cake.

Makes 24 servings