Easy Bundt Cake Pumpkins (with Hershey’s Kisses)

If you’re looking for a cute little dessert for a Halloween or Thanksgiving event, have I got a recipe for you! You can turn a simple cake mix into tiny bundt pumpkins that will delight your holiday guests!

To Pumpkin. . .or Not to Pumpkin

That is definitely the question during the holidays, isn’t it? Problem is, I’m allergic to pumpkin. So, the idea of making these pumpkins out of real pumpkin was out of the question. So, I gave some serious thought to the process and decided to make them orange flavored. That way the color would work for pumpkins.

To make this project work, I needed to rely on my mini bundt pan.

You’ll need one, too. I suppose you could use something different, but this pan made the process so simple!

This recipe makes 10 pumpkins so you’ll want to double it if you need more.

Bundt Cake Pumpkin Ingredients

This project starts with a boxed cake mix (big surprise, right?) The rest of the ingredients are pretty simple. No doubt you’ve got many of them in your pantry or refrigerator. You’ll find a full printable recipe card at the bottom of this post but here’s a quick peek at what you’ll need:

CAKE INGREDIENTS:

• white cake mix
• orange juice
• oil
• room temperature eggs
• orange coloring gel

FROSTING INGREDIENTS:

• butter
• powdered sugar
• orange juice
• orange coloring gel

TOPPING:

• Hershey’s Kisses

How to Make these Easy Mini Bundt Cake Pumpkins

These came together so quickly and easily, I had to wonder why I hadn’t made them before! I can’t wait to share them with the grandkids during the holiday season. I’ll probably make some for Halloween or maybe Thanksgiving. (Either would be perfect!)

Make the Cake

Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a large bowl add the wet ingredients (orange juice, oil, and room temperature eggs) to the white cake mix. Combine well.

Spray your mini bundt pan with baking spray.

Scoop batter into 20 bundt cups in you prepared bundt cake pan. Be careful not to overfill like I did! You’re going to end up shaving off the bubble on top. (Oops!)

Place pan in oven and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 13-14 minutes or until done.

Remove from heat and place on wire rack to cool. Shave off any excess to make them flat to the pan.

Once cooled, remove the mini cakes from the pan and place directly on rack to cool.

Make the Frosting

While the cake bakes, make your frosting.

Whip the softened butter at medium speed in a large bowl until light and fluffy.

Slowly work in powdered sugar. Thin down with a tablespoon or two of orange juice. Add a dot of orange coloring gel.

Place in piping bag. Use frosting as glue to fasten tea bundt cakes together.

Once all pumpkins are put together, place the piping bag of frosting into the microwave for a few seconds until it loosens into a glaze. (Less than 10 seconds total or it will turn into a liquid!)

Add glaze to the tops of your pumpkins by drizzling it on.

Unwrap Hershey’s Kisses and place one on top of each pumpkin.

Serve on a pretty tray, decorated for the holiday!

To store, place in an airtight container. Since these have orange juice in them, it’s best to refrigerate them. Bring to room temperature naturally before serving.

These can be frozen but I can’t guarantee they will hold their shape for long. If you choose to do so, wrap in plastic wrap or place in airtight container. Freeze up to two months.

What to Expect from These Pumpkins

These are absolutely delightful and perfect for pumpkin season! Talk about a delicious fall dessert! The recipe is light and airy and the buttercream is luscious. This is a moist cake with a tender crumb.

Fun side note: It’s easier to eat than a slice of cake.

I was tickled at how easily they came together and will definitely make them again and again.

I think the grandkids could pull these off. Next time I make them I’ll probably invite the kids over to help me.

Variations on these Mini Bundt Pumpkins

Here are a few variations to try:

• Cover with a decadent chocolate ganache instead of orange drizzle. Make your ganache by melting half a cup of mini chocolate chips with a tablespoon of heavy cream or milk.
• Pumpkin flavored pumpkins. You’re probably not allergic to pumpkin like I am, so you might consider making these sweet treats pumpkin-flavored by adding pumpkin puree. I found a pumpkin cake recipe online that starts with a boxed mix. You know that’s how I roll! (Maybe you could make a pumpkin chocolate chip bundt cake!) Add a couple tablespoons brown sugar for more depth of flavor. (This would be great with a cream cheese frosting!)
• Golden Butter Cake: Make according to directions but add a tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice.
• Funfetti: Since you’re making these for kids you could go with a simple Funfetti cake mix and add a dot or two of orange coloring gel to the batter.
• Chocolate: I think chocolate pumpkin cake would be yummy. Add sour cream or mayonnaise to chocolate batter in place of milk if you prefer. And I wouldn’t worry too much about the coloring. Just go ahead and use the orange buttercream and orange drizzle. They’ll be adorable and mayo will give them a moist crumb!
• Giant Bundt Cake Pumpkin: I think this would be a fun “big” cake but you’ll need to double the recipe. Bake two regular sized bundt cakes in your favorite bundt pan and put them together to form a pumpkin! Frost accordingly.

Other Bundt Cake Recipes from Out of the Box Baking

I love a good bundt cake! Check out some of my favorites:

• Easy Pineapple Coconut Cake: This is a favorite!
• Strawberry Pie Filling Cake: This simple cake starts with a boxed cake mix and a can of pie filling.
• Cinnamon Sugar Pound Cake: This is a “from scratch” recipe that I love!
• Easy Banana Berry Cake: I took this one to my writing group and they swooned!
• Old-Fashioned Pound Cake with Whipping Cream: This is the best pound cake you’ll ever make!
• Monkey Bread with Canned Biscuits: Yep, this one makes the perfect bundt!

That’s it for this post, friends! I’m so glad you stopped by. No matter what you’re celebrating, I hope these sweet little pumpkins make your event even sweeter!

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