Pumpkin Cake

  Desserts

A slice into this fun pumpkin-shaped dessert reveals a moist banana cake inside. A tempting nut filling joins two cakes to form the pumpkin. Decorating is easy with orange-tinted frosting. We use it as a birthday cake, but it also would be nice following a special fall meal.

Pumpkin Cake

Average Rating: 4.75

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 35 min. Bake: 30 min. + cooling
YIELD: 12-16 servings.

Ingredients

  • 2 packages banana cake mix (regular size)
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup half-and-half cream
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans

  • BUTTER CREAM FROSTING:
  • 3/4 cup butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup shortening
  • 6 cups confectioners' sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 to 4 tablespoons whole milk
  • Red, yellow and green food coloring
  • Ice cream cake cones or banana
  • 1 cup chocolate wafer crumbs, optional

Instructions

  • 1. Prepare and bake cakes in 12-cup fluted tube pans according to package directions; cool.
  • 2. For filling, melt butter in a saucepan. Stir in flour to form a smooth paste. Gradually add cream and sugar, stirring constantly until thick. Boil 1 minute; remove from heat. Stir in vanilla and salt. Fold in pecans; cool.
  • 3. Cut thin slice of bottom of each cake. Spread one cake bottom with filling; put cakes together with bottoms together. Set aside.
  • 4. In a bowl, cream butter and shortening. Beat in sugar and vanilla. Add milk until desired consistency is reached. Combine red and yellow food coloring to make orange; tint about three-fourths of the frosting orange. Tint remaining frosting green. Place a small glass upside down in the center of the cake to support the "stem". Put a dollop of frosting on the glass and top with an ice cream cone or banana. Cut the cone or banana to the correct length; frost with green frosting. Frost cake with orange frosting. If desired, add chocolate water crumbs as "dirt" around cake. Pipe green vines on cake and "dirt" if desired.

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