It's The Great Bundt-kin, Charlie Brown

Name: It's The Great Bundt-kin, Charlie Brown
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h 40 min
Total time: 4 h 40 min
Yield: 20 - 24 serving(s)
Ingredients: Cooking spray; 2 2 (15.25-oz.) boxes white or yellow cake mix, divided 2 (3.4-oz.) boxes instant vanilla or pumpkin pudding, divided; 2 (3.4-oz.) boxes instant vanilla or pumpkin pudding, divided; 8 large eggs, divided; 2 c. pumpkin puree, divided; 2/3 c. vegetable oil, divided; 1/2 c. sour cream, divided; 3 tsp. pumpkin pie spice, divided; 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract, divided; 2 1/2 c. plus 3 tbsp. store-bought vanilla or cream cheese frosting (from 2 [16-oz.] containers), divided; Orange and green food coloring; 1 cake ice cream cone; Green and orange sprinkles and Halloween candy, for decorating (optional); 2 to 3 (12") dowels or straws (optional)

By Camille LowderPublished: Jul 27, 2023

Approved by the Delish Test Kitchen

1 Rating

two pumpkin bundt cakes stacked on each other, filled with candy corn, and decorated to look like a pumpkin

PHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: RILEY WOFFORD

Yields:

20 - 24 serving(s)

Prep Time:

20 mins

Cook Time:

1 hr 40 mins

Total Time:

4 hrs 40 mins

Jump to recipe

Whether you’re throwing a Halloween bash and need a showstopping centerpiece dessert, or just really love the Peanuts gang and want your pumpkin patch to be the most sincere, this is the cake for you—it’s the Great ~~Pumpkin~~, er, Bundt-kin, Charlie Brown!

Though this cake looks impressive, it’s relatively straightforward to make. To keep things simple, we’re elevating store-bought cake mix and frosting with pantry and fridge staples like pumpkin puree, sour cream, and food dye. All you’ve got to do is bake two Bundts (one right after the other works if you’ve only got one Bundt pan), add some color to your frosting, then go to town decorating however you like. Get the whole family involved, and have fun with it!

The best way to succeed with this cake is to really lean into its campy nature. Want to fill it with candy? Go for it! We went with candy corn, but wrapped or unwrapped holiday minis of any kind would be great here (include some candy rocks among the spoils to really get into the Great Pumpkin theme). Feel it’s not a true pumpkin without a face? Add one on! Want even more Peanuts? We channeled our inner Linus and added a “Welcome Great Pumpkin” sign, but feel free to take it even further—cutouts of the whole gang would be extra cute.

Made this? Let us know how it went (and if the Great Pumpkin appeared) in the comments below.

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Ingredients

Cake

Cooking spray
2
2 (15.25-oz.) boxes white or yellow cake mix, divided

2 (3.4-oz.) boxes instant vanilla or pumpkin pudding, divided
2
(3.4-oz.) boxes instant vanilla or pumpkin pudding, divided
8
large eggs, divided
2 cups
pumpkin puree, divided
2/3 cup
vegetable oil, divided
1/2 cup
sour cream, divided
3 tsp.
pumpkin pie spice, divided
2 tsp.
pure vanilla extract, divided

Assembly

2 1/2 cups
plus 3 tbsp. store-bought vanilla or cream cheese frosting (from 2 [16-oz.] containers), divided
Orange and green food coloring
1 cake ice cream cone
Green and orange sprinkles and Halloween candy, for decorating (optional)

Equipment Needed

2
to 3 (12") dowels or straws (optional)

Directions

Cake
1. Step 1Preheat oven to 350° and generously grease a 12-cup Bundt pan with cooking spray. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on low speed (or the large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment), beat 1 box cake mix, 1 box pudding, 4 eggs, 1 cup pumpkin puree, 1/3 cup oil, 1/4 cup sour cream, 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 1/2 cup water until combined. Scrape bottom and sides of bowl and beat to incorporate.
2. Step 2Pour batter into prepared pan; smooth top with a rubber spatula.
3. Step 3Bake cake until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes. Let cool in pan 15 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack and let cool completely.
4. Step 4Wipe out pan. Repeat process with remaining 1 box cake mix, 1 box instant pudding, 4 eggs, 1 cup pumpkin puree, 1/3 cup oil, 1/4 cup sour cream, 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1/2 cup water.
Assembly
1. Step 1Spoon 1 3/4 cups frosting into a heatproof 2-cup measuring cup, then add orange food coloring and mix until desired shade is reached.
2. Step 2Using a large serrated knife, level rounded bottoms of cooled cakes. Arrange one cake on a platter smooth side up, then spread with 3/4 cup orange frosting. Place second cake on top, adjusting until edges are aligned. Secure with dowels (if using), trimming if needed. Refrigerate 15 minutes.
3. Step 3Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix 3 tablespoons frosting and green food coloring until desired shade is reached. Spread green frosting over ice cream cone. Decorate with green sprinkles (if using).
4. Step 4Microwave remaining orange frosting in 3-second increments, stirring between each, until just pourable, about 10 seconds total. Slowly pour orange frosting over cake in a circular motion, creating a drip effect. Decorate with orange sprinkles (if using).
5. Step 5Fill holes of cakes with candy (if using). Place frosted ice cream cone upside down on top of cake.