Jack O’ Lantern Cake

Impress Halloween revelers with this happy pumpkin centerpiece.

Ingredients

• 3 (16 oz.) pkgs. poundcake mix
• 6 eggs
• ¾ cup butter, at room temp.
• 3 (16 oz.) cans vanilla frosting
• Orange concentrated food coloring
• 7 large green gumdrops
• Granulated sugar
• 3 large black gumdrops
• Black decorating sugar

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 2 (12 cup) Bundt pans. Prepare cake mixes according to package directions with eggs, butter and 2 cups water; divide batter evenly between pans. Bake until pick inserted near centers comes out clean, 38-43 min. Cool on racks 10 min. Transfer from pans to racks; cool. Tint frosting orange with food coloring. Transfer 2 Tbs. frosting to plastic food storage bag; snip 1 corner. Reserve.
2. Place cakes rounded sides down on surface; trim tops to level. Reserve trimmings. Spread trimmed side of 1 cake with ½ cup frosting. Top with remaining cake, trimmed side down, lining up ridges. Spread some of frosting into seam to smooth.
3. Line rack with wax paper; place cake on wax paper. Fill hole in center of cake with some of reserved trimmings. In microwave-safe bowl, microwave remaining frosting in 15-sec. intervals, stirring, until pourable. Pour over cake, spooning frosting up to coat bottom edge of cake. Scrape frosting from wax paper and re-heat as necessary. Let stand until set, at least 15 min.
4. Knead 5 green gumdrops into ball. Roll in granulated sugar. Shape into stem; place on cake. On sugared surface, roll remaining green gumdrops into ropes. Curl into vines; place on cake. On sugared surface, roll out 1 black gumdrop to 1/16”-thick. For eyes, cut out 2 triangles with 1½” sides; cut out small circles from triangles for pupils. For nose, cut out 1⅛” triangle. For mouth, knead together remaining gumdrops. On sugared surface, roll into 6½”x3” oval. Cut out smile; cut out tooth. Brush features with water; coat with black sugar. Spread backs of features with reserved frosting; attach to cake.