The Great Pumpkin Cakes

These are the ultimate confectionery tribute to Charlie Brown's Great Pumpkin. The little round cakes are surprisingly easy to make—just put two cupcakes together, frost and decorate with vines and leaves. —Sharon Skildum

Ingredients

 

• 1 package yellow cake mix or cake mix of your choice (regular size)
• 2 cans (16 ounces each) vanilla frosting, divided
• 1 to 1-1/2 teaspoons orange paste food coloring
• 12 green gumdrops
• 1/2 teaspoon green paste food coloring

Directions

• Prepare and bake cupcakes according to package directions. Fill 24 greased muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350° for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
• For frosting, in a small bowl, combine 1-1/2 cans frosting; tint orange. Cut a thin slice off the top of each cupcake. Spread frosting on 12 cupcakes. Invert remaining cupcakes and place on top; frost top and sides.
• For stems, place one gumdrop on each pumpkin. Tint remaining frosting green. Cut a small hole in the corner of a pastry or plastic bag; insert #5 round tip and fill with a third of the green frosting. Pipe curly vines from pumpkin stems. Using green frosting and #352 leaf tip, pipe leaves randomly along the vines. Yield: 1 dozen.

Originally published as The Great Pumpkin Cakes in Taste of Home Halloween Party Food