Best 11 Jack O Lantern Tea Cakes Recipes

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Indulge in the delightful flavors of fall with our Jack-O-Lantern Tea Cakes, a festive treat perfect for Halloween celebrations or cozy autumn gatherings. These charming tea cakes are not only visually appealing with their vibrant orange color and adorable jack-o-lantern design but also burst with a symphony of flavors. The moist and fluffy vanilla cake interior is complemented by a luscious cream cheese frosting, while a hint of pumpkin spice adds a warm and inviting aroma. As you bite into these delightful treats, you'll be greeted with a burst of tangy orange marmalade, adding a burst of citrusy goodness.

In this article, you'll find two variations of these Jack-O-Lantern Tea Cakes: a classic version with a traditional cream cheese frosting and a unique twist with a decadent chocolate ganache topping. Both recipes offer step-by-step instructions, ensuring that even novice bakers can create these festive treats with ease.

For those who prefer a classic flavor combination, the Cream Cheese Frosting Jack-O-Lantern Tea Cakes are a perfect choice. The tangy cream cheese frosting pairs perfectly with the moist vanilla cake and orange marmalade, creating a harmonious balance of flavors.

If you're looking for a richer and more indulgent treat, the Chocolate Ganache Jack-O-Lantern Tea Cakes are sure to satisfy your cravings. The velvety chocolate ganache topping adds a layer of decadence to the already delightful tea cakes, making them an irresistible treat for chocolate lovers.

Whether you choose the classic cream cheese frosting or the indulgent chocolate ganache topping, these Jack-O-Lantern Tea Cakes are guaranteed to be a hit at your next Halloween party or fall gathering. So gather your ingredients, preheat your oven, and let's embark on a baking adventure to create these delightful treats.

Here are our top 11 tried and tested recipes!

JACK-O'-LANTERN CAKE



Jack-O'-Lantern Cake image

Moist, pumpkin-flavored, bake-in-a-bowl makes an easy Halloween dessert that little and big kids will love.

Provided by Land O'Lakes

Categories     Layer     Cake     Dessert

Yield 10 servings

Number Of Ingredients 21

Cake
2 (15.25- to 16.5-ounce) packages yellow or spice cake mix
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups buttermilk *
2 cups mashed cooked pumpkin **
4 large Land O Lakes® Eggs
Frosting
1/3 cup Land O Lakes® Butter softened
1/3 cup mashed cooked pumpkin **
4 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 drops red food color, if desired
Decoration
Black licorice twists
Decorator candies, if desired
2 tablespoons semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted
1 large marshmallow

Steps:

  • Heat oven to 350ºF. Grease and flour 2 (2 1/2-quart) ovenproof deep bowls; set aside.
  • Combine all cake ingredients in another bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed.
  • Divide batter evenly among prepared bowls. Bake 65-75 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes; invert cakes onto serving plates. Cool completely.
  • Combine butter and 1/3 cup pumpkin in bowl. Beat at medium speed until well mixed. Gradually add half of powdered sugar; continue beating, scraping bowl often, until well mixed. Add remaining powdered sugar, milk and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Reserve 1/4 cup frosting. Stir in red food color to remaining frosting, if desired.
  • Cut narrow slice from bottom-side of 1 cake, using serrated knife. Place onto serving platter, cut-side down. Spread 1/2 cup tinted frosting over top of cake; place second cake over frosted layer, wide-side down.
  • Frost cake with tinted frosting. Cut licorice twists into 9 (1-inch) pieces; arrange on side of cake for eyes and nose. Cut 2 licorice twists to form mouth. Decorate with candies, if desired.
  • Add melted chocolate chips to reserved frosting. Place marshmallow on top of cake to form stem. Frost marshmallow with chocolate frosting.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 700 calories, Fat 19 grams, SaturatedFat grams, Transfat grams, Cholesterol 95 milligrams, Sodium 700 milligrams, Carbohydrate 125 grams, Fiber 4 grams, Sugar grams, Protein 9 grams

JACK-O'-LANTERN CAKE



Jack-o'-Lantern Cake image

For Halloween fun, bake this adorable Jack-o'-Lantern Cake. Everyone will wonder how you did that!

Provided by By Betty Crocker Kitchens

Categories     Dessert

Time 4h30m

Yield 24

Number Of Ingredients 6

2 boxes Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ devil's food or white cake mix
Water, vegetable oil and eggs or egg whites called for on cake mix box
2 containers (1 lb each) Betty Crocker™ Rich & Creamy vanilla frosting
Yellow and red food color
1 green flat-bottom ice-cream cone
Betty Crocker™ Fruit Roll-Ups® chewy fruit snack rolls (any flavor)

Steps:

  • Heat oven to 325°F. Grease and flour 2-quart round casserole or 2 1/2-quart ovenproof bowl. Make 1 box cake batter as directed on box. Pour into casserole.
  • Bake 1 hour 5 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes. Remove cake from casserole; place rounded side up on cooling rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Make, bake and cool remaining cake mix using same casserole or bowl.
  • With sharp knife, carefully slice piece from top of each cake to make flat surface where cakes will be placed together to form pumpkin shape. (Cake scraps can be saved and added to another recipe such as pudding or trifle if desired.)
  • In medium bowl, place frosting; tint with 9 drops yellow and 6 drops red food color to make orange frosting. On plate, place 1 cake, rounded side down. Spread 2/3 cup of the orange frosting over cake almost to edge. Place second cake, rounded side up, on frosted cake to make round shape. Spread a thin layer of frosting over entire cake to seal in crumbs. For easier handling, refrigerate or freeze cake 30 to 60 minutes. Frost entire cake with remaining orange frosting.
  • Trim ice-cream cone to desired height for stem; place upside down on cake. Cut out eyes, nose, mouth, vines and leaves from fruit snack rolls. Place on frosted cake to form face. Store tightly covered.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 380, Carbohydrate 54 g, Cholesterol 55 mg, Fat 3 1/2, Fiber 0 g, Protein 3 g, SaturatedFat 3 1/2 g, ServingSize 1 Serving (Cake and Frosting Only), Sodium 390 mg, Sugar 36 g, TransFat 2 g

GINGERBREAD JACK-O'-LANTERNS



Gingerbread Jack-O'-Lanterns image

Provided by Food Network

Categories     dessert

Time 4h10m

Yield Makes about 2 dozen

Number Of Ingredients 17

1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon unsulfured molasses
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 recipe Royal Icing (see below)
Chocolate chips or candy corn to decorate
1 egg white
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 to 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

Steps:

  • Beat together the shortening, sugars and the egg until fluffy. Stir in the molasses. Sift together the flour, spices, baking soda and salt, and blend into the sugar mixture. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for 3-4 hours.
  • When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. This is a tender dough, so work quickly to roll the dough 1/4-inch thick on a lightly floured surface and cut out pumpkin shapes using a pumpkin cookie cutter, or freehand using a small knife. If you're cutting your pumpkins freehand, don't make the stem too thin or it will break off after baking. Use a spatula to lift the pumpkins onto lightly greased baking sheets and bake for about 10 minutes. Don't overbake. Cool completely on wire racks before decorating.
  • To decorate the pumpkins, set aside 1/3 cup of the royal icing and color it green. Color the remaining icing orange by blending in red and yellow food coloring. (Start with 5 drops of red and 6 drops of yellow and add more coloring as desired to make the color more intense.)
  • Spread orange frosting over the pumpkin, avoiding the stem. Allow to set, then use a toothpick to dab green frosting on the stem.
  • You can press on candy corn or chocolate chips to make a face on each pumpkin, or you can pipe a face on with melted chocolate using the following method. Melt 1/2 cup of chocolate chips in the microwave in a heatproof bowl for 1 minutes. The chips may look unmelted, but stir them with a spoon to see if they have actually softened before putting them in for another minute, if necessary.
  • Spoon the melted chocolate into a zipper-lock bag. Seal the bag, pressing out any air. Use a toothpick to make a very tiny hole in one corner of the bag to release a thin stream of chocolate. Pipe eyes and noses and jagged grins as desired. Allow the chocolate to set before stacking the cookies.
  • With beaters or a standing mixer, whip the egg white and lemon juice until frothy. At medium speed, beat in the confectioners' sugar, a little at a time, until the mixture is thick but still liquid enough to beat. Then beat on high until the mixture is thick and glossy, about 3 minutes. Cover the surface with plastic wrap while waiting to use it. Royal icing will set to a firm, glossy finish when applied to a cookie. The icing can be stored, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to a week.

JACK-O'-LANTERN



Jack-O'-Lantern image

Provided by Matthew Mead

Categories     Cake     Dessert     Bake     Kid-Friendly     Halloween     Small Plates

Yield Makes one 6- x 7-inch cake; serves 12 to 16

Number Of Ingredients 24

2 tablespoons shortening
2 tablespoons flour
1 recipe Chocolate Cake Batter
1 recipe Creamy White Frosting
Green gel or paste food color
Orange gel or paste food color
1 small waffle ice cream cone
4 ounces (1/2 cup) black fondant
Black decorating sugar, for sprinkling
Equipment:
Two 6-inch half-sphere cake pans (such as Wilton Sports Ball set) or two 1 1/2-quart
ovenproof bowls
Waxed or parchment paper
Toothpicks
Wire cooling racks
Glass measuring cup
Small offset spatula
Cake plate or 4-inch round cardboard base (optional)
Plastic straw
2 decorating bags, #70 leaf tip, and #5 round tip
Rolling pin
Small, sharp knife
Small plate
Compote or shallow bowl, for serving

Steps:

  • 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease the bottom of each cake pan, then line it with waxed paper or parchment paper and lightly grease and flour the bottom and sides. Divide the batter between the pans and bake the cakes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 minutes. Cool the cakes completely in the pans on cooling racks and then turn them out onto the racks.
  • 2. While the cakes are cooling, transfer 1 cup of the frosting to a glass measuring cup. Tint it green (see Decorating Tips). Tint the remaining frosting orange.
  • 3. Using an offset spatula, spread a thin layer of the orange frosting over the flat surface of 1 cake. Invert the second cake on top of the first, joining the flat surfaces of both domes together. Transfer the assembled cake to the cardboard base, if using, or a cake plate. Cover the cake completely with the rest of the orange frosting.
  • 4. To make rib indentations as shown in the photo, hold a plastic straw against the cake, curving it from bottom to top. Lift it off, reposition it, and press again. Repeat all around the cake. (Gently incise the ribs with a skewer if you don't have a straw.)
  • 5. For the stem, invert the ice cream cone and, using a clean spatula, cover it with the green frosting; add more frosting at the top to give the stem a curved tip. Place the stem on the top of the cake.
  • 6. Fit a decorating bag with a coupler and the leaf tip; add 1 cup of the green frosting to the bag. Referring to the photo, pipe several leaves around the base of the stem. Hold the bag at an angle next to the stem. Squeeze out some frosting, allowing it to fan into a wide base, then decrease the pressure and slowly pull the tip away, lifting slightly, to form a point.
  • 7. Remove the leaf tip and replace with the round tip. Pipe tendrils around the stem and leaves. Place the tip where you want the tendril to begin. Using even pressure, squeeze out some frosting and move the tip to draw the tendril. Release the pressure and lift the tip when the tendril is the desired length.
  • 8. Using a rolling pin, roll the fondant to 1/8 inch thick. Referring to the photo and using a small, sharp knife, cut out the features. For the eyes, cut 2 triangles about 1 1/2 inches wide at the base and 1 1/2 inches tall at the center. For the nose, cut another triangle a little smaller than the eyes. Cut the smile to be about 4 inches from tip to tip. You can draw a paper pattern first if you like.
  • 9. Spread the black sugar on a small plate (large enough to hold the smile) using the back of the spoon. Press each cutout into the sugar and then invert the coated cutout onto the pumpkin to form the face, pressing it into the frosting. Transfer the cake to the serving dish if you have not already done so.

JACK-O'-LANTERN CAKE



Jack-o'-Lantern Cake image

I pieced two fluted tube pan cakes together to make this gap-toothed grinner that will make the best-ever centerpiece at your Halloween party. -Julianne Johnson, Grove City, Minnesota

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Desserts

Time 1h5m

Yield 16 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 6

2 packages spice cake mix (regular size)
4 cans (16 ounces each) vanilla frosting
Red and yellow food coloring
1 ice cream cake cone (about 3 inches tall)
2 Oreo cookies
1 package (24 ounces) ready-to-use rolled black fondant

Steps:

  • Prepare and bake cakes according to package directions using two 10-in. fluted tube pans. Invert cakes onto wire racks; cool completely. Meanwhile, tint frosting orange using red and yellow food coloring., Cut thin slice off bottom of each cake. Spread one cake bottom with frosting; press flat sides together to make a pumpkin shape. Place a foil ball in the center to support the "stem"; top with an ice cream cake cone. Frost cake with remaining frosting. , To decorate face, roll out fondant to 1/8-in. thickness; cut into desired shapes for mouth and nose. Remove tops from two Oreo cookies; cut half-circles in filling for eyes. Press cookies and fondant into frosting to make the face.

Nutrition Facts :

EASY JACK 'O LANTERN CAKE



EASY Jack 'O Lantern Cake image

We have 3 family member birthdays in a row in mid October and I make this cake for one big celebration. I'm not sure where I first saw this, I know it wasn't in a cookbook. I'd like to think I'm creative, but I probably saw it in a magazine over 30yrs ago. It makes a very large amount of cake, so it's great for any fall party or Thanksgiving dessert. Use your imagination and creativity to make the face and stem and leaves. I have also used black tinted icing for the eyes, nose and mouth. I only have 1 bundt pan, so the time consuming part is using it to make 2 cakes. It's really a good looking center piece on a holiday or theme table.

Provided by peppermintkitty

Categories     Dessert

Time 1h10m

Yield 1 double bundt cake, 10-14 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 4

2 of your favorite bundt cake (use mixes or your own homade bundt recipes)
cooking spray
1 1/2 recipe buttercream frosting (tinted orange) or 2 cans orange frosting
1 bag of carmel candy corn

Steps:

  • also use: empty toilet paper roll (or empty papertowel roll) OR 1 large lite brown frosted cupcake green crepe paper, or fake leaf garland or if using the cupcake,,pipe on green colored vine and leaves Bake 2 bundt cakes (using 1 bundt pan twice or using 2 bundt cake pans according to box instructions).
  • put one bundt cake upside down on serving plate.
  • frost the top and place 2nd bundt cake on first bundt cake-- right side up-- this is your pumpkin Make your favorite buttercream frosting and tint pumpkin orange (or use 2 cans prepared frosted either orange or you tint it orange) Frost entire'pumpkin' to decorate wrap the empty toilet paper roll (or papertowel roll cut in half) with foil or wax paper.
  • put covered roll in the hole on top of cake cut a dozen or so strips from green crepe paper and put in hole in top to look like vines.
  • Or, us artificial leaves& vines.
  • Or, place a brown or tan frosted cupcake upside down in hole on top and using green frosting, pipe stem and leaves down and around cupcake for eyes, nose, and mouth on pumpkin, arrange the candy corn to your liking Put additional candy corn around bottom of cake, alternating one up, the next upside down, etc all round cake.

Nutrition Facts :

JACK-O'-LANTERN CAKE POPS



Jack-o'-Lantern Cake Pops image

These candy-coated, decorated cake pops made from Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ cake mix and Rich & Creamy frosting make cute Halloween dessert treats!

Provided by Betty Crocker Kitchens

Categories     Dessert

Time 3h15m

Yield 54

Number Of Ingredients 10

1 box Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ spice cake mix
Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box
1 cup Betty Crocker™ Rich & Creamy cream cheese frosting (from 1-lb container)
4 cups orange candy melts
2 tablespoons shortening
54 paper lollipop sticks
Black string licorice, cut into 54 (2 1/2-inch) pieces
Block of plastic foam
1/2 cup black candy melts, melted
1/4 cup small multicolored candies or sprinkles

Steps:

  • Make and bake cake mix as directed on box for 13x9-inch pan, using water, oil and eggs. Cool. Line cookie sheet with waxed paper. Crumble cake into large bowl. Add frosting; mix well. Shape into 1 1/4-inch balls; flatten tops slightly. Place on cookie sheet. Freeze until firm; keep refrigerated.
  • In microwavable bowl, microwave orange candy melts and shortening uncovered on Medium (50%) 1 minute, then in 15-second intervals, until melted; stir until smooth. Dip tip of 1 lollipop stick about 1/2 inch into melted candy and insert stick into rounded bottom of 1 cake ball no more than halfway. Repeat. Return to cookie sheet. Refrigerate 5 minutes. Remove from refrigerator a few at a time. Dip cake balls in melted orange candy; tap off excess. Poke opposite end of stick into foam block. Immediately attach licorice to look like handle, holding in place until set. Let stand until coating is set.
  • Spoon melted black candy into resealable food-storage plastic bag; seal bag. Cut off tiny corner of bag; squeeze bag to pipe jack-o'-lantern face onto each cake pop. Use melted orange candy to attach candies to tops of pops.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 180, Carbohydrate 25 g, Fat 1 1/2, Fiber 0 g, Protein 0 g, SaturatedFat 4 1/2 g, ServingSize 1 Serving, Sodium 115 mg

PINEAPPLE JACK-O'-LANTERN



Pineapple Jack-O'-Lantern image

This technique uses one of my newest kitchen gadgets: a pineapple corer-slicer! While you can certainly remove the insides of the pineapple using a knife and spoon, this tool makes the job so incredibly easy! Serve the perfectly sliced pineapple after a delicious meal, and use the juice and bottom scraps in a smoothie!

Provided by Kim's Cooking Now

Categories     Holidays and Events Recipes     Halloween

Time 15m

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 2

1 large pineapple
1 tea light candle

Steps:

  • Lay the pineapple down horizontally on a cutting board. Using a serrated knife, cut off the top 1 1/2 inches, leaving the leafy crown intact. Set top aside.
  • Place the pineapple upright, with the flesh exposed on the top. Center the pineapple corer-slicer directly over the center core and push down slightly. Hold the pineapple with your left hand while twisting the handle of the corer-slicer clockwise with your right hand, with a slight downward pressure. Continue until you reach the bottom, making sure that you do not cut through the skin at the bottom of the pineapple.
  • Pull up on the handle of the corer-slicer while pulling down with your left hand to remove it from the pineapple. Remove the handle from the corer-slicer and remove the sliced pineapple to a serving plate. Pour any juice that has collected in the bottom of the pineapple into a glass or container for another use.
  • Using a paper towel to get a firm grip, reach into the pineapple and wrap the paper towel around the core that remains inside. Place a firm grip on the core, and twist slightly to detach the core from the bottom of the pineapple. Discard core.
  • Using a large spoon, scrape any remaining pineapple from the bottom of the pineapple to create a level surface for the candle.
  • Using a small flexible paring knife, carve out eyes, nose and a scary grin. Replace the top of the pineapple and refrigerate until ready to display. When ready to display, place a tea light candle inside and illuminate.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 151.3 calories, Carbohydrate 39.7 g, Fat 0.4 g, Fiber 4.2 g, Protein 1.6 g, Sodium 3 mg, Sugar 29.8 g

JACK-O-LANTERN CUPCAKES



Jack-O-Lantern Cupcakes image

Provided by Sandra Lee

Time 30m

Yield 1 dozen cupcakes

Number Of Ingredients 3

1 dozen store-bought, un-iced cupcakes (pumpkin if they have seasonal flavors)
1 can dark chocolate frosting
1 box prepared orange fondant (recommended: Wilton)

Steps:

  • Frost all of the cupcakes with a smooth even layer of the chocolate frosting. Wipe off the spatula frequently, and dip it in warm water, if necessary, to get the frosting as smooth as possible.
  • Roll out the orange fondant to 1/4-inch thickness. Using a round biscuit cutter, cut out 12 rounds from the fondant. Using small cutters, cut a jack-o-lantern face of your design in each round. Lay the rounds on top of the cupcakes. Arrange the cupcakes on a serving a platter and serve.

JACK-O-LANTERN CHEESECAKES



Jack-O-Lantern Cheesecakes image

Provided by Food Network

Categories     dessert

Number Of Ingredients 18

8 (1/2 pound) mini pumpkins
1 1/2 pounds cream cheese at room temperature
6 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup lightly packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
3/4 teaspoons ground cloves
4 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup pumpkin puree (canned is just fine)
(Optional mint leaves and birthday candles for garnish)
3/4 cup orange juice
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 pound fresh or frozen cranberries

Steps:

  • Side Bar: Before you start, set your cream cheese and butter out for several hours, so it can warm up to room temperature. Set rack in middle of oven and preheat to 300 degrees. Cut the tops off the pumpkins and set aside, With a teaspoon or grapefruit knife, scrape the fibrous pulp and seeds out of the pumpkins. Scrape some of the meat off the inner walls so they are no more than 3/8-inch thick. Put the cream cheese, butter, sugars, cornstarch, cinnamon, ginger and cloves in a large mixing bowl and beat at medium speed until blended. Take care not to mix too much air into the batter. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, until each is incorporated. Reduce the speed and beat in the sour cream, vanilla and pumpkin puree. Fill the pumpkin shells with the batter and bake, on a cookie sheet for 15 minutes. Turn the pan and place the tops next to the pumpkins. Bake for 10 more minutes, until barely set and firm. If, at any time, the cakes start to puff up, turn the oven down or remove them. Let cool, in the pan, then refrigerate.;
  • Place all ingredients in a medium saucepan and simmer for 10 minutes until the berries have popped and form a thick sauce. Let cool. To serve, spoon cranberry sauce on top of filling. Place the pumpkin lid on a jaunty angle. Stick the birthday candle and mint sprig into the top.

JACK-O-LANTERN CAKE



Jack-O-Lantern Cake image

While the pumpkin in Cinderella managed to transform into a carriage, this sinister Sleepy Hollow-inspired creation does one better by taking the form of a delicious cake! You've probably heard of pumpkin bread and pumpkin pie, but I doubt you've had a chance to try an actual pumpkin-flavored cake. With a flavor similar to a spice cake, this unique dessert may soon become one of your new favorites. Follow the recipe to create a memorable centerpiece for your next ghoulish gathering. It's sure to please and while I can't promise it won't turn back into a pumpkin at midnight, it's doubtful any will be left by then!

Provided by ChristineMcConnell

Categories     Dessert

Time 6h30m

Yield 15 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 23

orange candy melts
standard sized balloons
edible paint powder (brown and black)
4 teaspoons vodka, as liquid agent for paints
4 cups white sugar
2 1/2 cups vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups canned pumpkin
8 eggs
4 cups all-purpose flour
6 teaspoons baking powder
4 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup unsalted butter
3 cups confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
4 tablespoons canned pumpkin
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon pumpkin spice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon orange food coloring
3/4 teaspoon brown food coloring

Steps:

  • For Candy Core and Exterior- In a medium sauce pan or double boiler, heat candy melts until just liquid. 110 degrees is their ideal temperature in a liquid state.
  • Blow up several balloons and make sure you have ample room in your freezer. Slowly dip or paint candy melts onto balloon working in small sections until completely covered. Once ready, set on flat plate and place in freezer.
  • Here are TWO helpful hints to avoid trouble at this stage: The balloon should be slightly under inflated and the temperature of the candy melts being too warm can cause the balloon to pop and splatter difficult to clean candy all over you and your kitchen. I can't guarantee this won't happen anyway, which is why I mentioned you should blow up several and make your peace with disaster before it happens. Layer the balloon several times and keep frozen until ready to use. When desired shape is achieved punch small hole in balloon and slowly begin to remove using your fingers to separate the balloon from the frozen candy. If any large pieces of your pumpkin core break, simply heat the edges and put it back where it broke from. Keep remaining candy melts to brush on final cake to create delicious seal.
  • For Pumpkin Cake- Pre-heat oven to 350. In a large bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon, set aside. In stand mixer, combine 4 cups white sugar. 2 1/2 cups vegetable oil, 2 teaspoon vanilla extract and 4 cups canned pumpkin. Beat until smooth and then add one egg at a time. Slowly incorporate dry ingredients into the wet. Butter and flour six 7" round cake pans and pour two cups batter into each. Bake three at a time at 350 for 30 minutes. Some cakes are finicky, but these are pretty foolproof and so delicious!
  • Once removed from oven, wait 10 minutes, then remove from baking dishes, wrap loosely in wax paper and refrigerate until ready to use. At which point you will slice the rounds into thin moon-like crescents with a serrated blade and any additional pieces can be used later for pumpkin cake pops or just eating fresh.
  • For Buttercream- In a stand mixer, beat room temp butter until light and the gradually add confectioners sugar. Beat until fluffy, then add 2 tbs heavy whipping cream, 4 tbs canned pumpkin, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1 tsp Pumpkin spice, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp Orange food coloring, 3/4 tsp brown food coloring and taste to ensure the flavor is to your liking.
  • Remove cake crescents from fridge and candy core dome from freezer and frost and apply in two layers. Initial layer should start horizontal and the last layer should be vertical. Keep in mind pumpkins are somewhat irregular, so don't worry too much about imperfections. Refrigerate often to ensure cake is structurally sound and never work in a warm kitchen.
  • Once built, frost with remaining buttercream and pipe stripes from top to bottom and blend for added dimension and flavor. Seal with leftover candy melts and finalize by painting additional shadows and highlights. Use a flame-heated blade to carve the jack-o-lantern. Cut a small mouse hole in the back and light with either a candle or a plug-in light. This cake has no supports, so know it must be kept cold as it could collapse if left at room temperature.
  • Note: You'll need 3 batches of buttercream for this cake.

Tips:

  • Mise en place: Before you start baking, make sure you have all the ingredients measured and ready to go. This will help you stay organized and prevent any scrambling.
  • Use room temperature ingredients: This will help your cakes bake more evenly and produce a more tender crumb.
  • Don't overmix the batter: Overmixing can develop the gluten in the flour, which will result in a tough cake. Mix just until the ingredients are combined.
  • Line your muffin tins with paper liners: This will make it easier to remove the cakes from the tins and will also help to prevent them from sticking.
  • Bake the cakes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean: This is the best way to ensure that your cakes are cooked through.
  • Let the cakes cool completely before frosting them: This will help the frosting to set properly and will also prevent the cakes from becoming soggy.

Conclusion:

Jack-O-Lantern Tea Cakes are easy to make and a festive treat for Halloween. They're perfect for a party or just a fun snack. With a few simple tips, you can make sure your Jack-O-Lantern Tea Cakes turn out perfectly every time. So get creative and have fun with it!

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