This cake is completely inspired by candy corn. But not the regular candy corn, Brach’s Indian Corn.
Candy Corn Cake
Ingredients
- 1 box white cake mix
- 1 box chocolate cake mix
- 3 containers white frosting or three cups
- 1 container chocolate frosting or 1 cup
- Optional: Orange extract
Instructions
- Bake chocolate cake in 8in round cake pan. One cake will be used, so you can wrap the other 8in round cake and place in freezer.
- For the white and orange layers, simply prepare white cake batter as you normally would. Divide batter in half and tint one half orange. (Add orange extract if you wish)
- Bake white cake batter in 8in cake pan and bake orange cake batter in 8in cake pan.
- For frosting, take one container of white frosting and tint it orange. I used gel food coloring and about 4-6 drops.
To assemble cake:
- Place chocolate cake on cake stand. Place thin layer of chocolate frosting.
- Place orange layer on top and cover in thin layer of orange frosting.
- Finally, place white cake on top and cover entire cake in crumb coat.
- Decorate as you wish.
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Have you seen this type of candy corn? With the chocolate on the bottom? I found it to be the perfect cake inspiration! (picture below)
But I went wrong on this cake. I was in a hurry. A BIG hurry. I needed to have this cake done and be out the door in 57 minutes.
So I used all box mixes (which is fine with me!) and canned frosting (horrible mistake).
Something happened. I sampled the canned frosting and thought it tasted like cardboard. Even the chocolate. They were all just awful. I wouldnt feel comfortable serving this cake to anyone. Is it just me? I used to not mind them at all! (To be fair, I stuck to one brand. It could have just been that brand.)
I am a huge proponent of supporting peoples choices in baking… if you want to use canned frosting I would never bat an eye. Heck, I would support and encourage you for choosing to bake!
But for me, I think this was my very last time.
Here are the from-scratch recipes for this cake:
Here is a video of me decorating a cake with the same technique as I used on this Candy Corn Cake.
If you like this cake you will love my new book Surprise-Inside Cakes! (especially the Ombre Cake I share in the book!)
Such a cute idea. I am not a big fan of canned frosting either. I prefer homemade buttercream.
Looks great! Adding to Pinterest as soon as I comment 🙂
Canned frosting –
I don’t care for it as is BUT, when I’m in a hurry I will use it but only after I’ve doctored it up with icing sugar, vanilla or cocoa powder, depending on what kind I want. I will whip it and get it the texture I want while adding a bit of the above and it really helps. It saves time on the initial softening of butter, creaming butter and sugar etc. In other words, I’ve used it for a base and went from there….if that makes any sense. It helps, in my opinion.
forgot something – when using a box mix, I substitute melted butter for the oil and milk for the water and add an extra egg and that makes a huge difference to my family.
Makes perfect sense! 🙂
This is what I always do as well, whipping a it always makes a big difference…*almost* brings it up to the home made level…
I prefer homemade cake, but always keep box on hand if I’m in a hurry or have a cake flop and need it quick. I’ve also had people request box as they like it better. I always make my own frosting though.
My favorite cake mixes are Duncan Hines.
I love using Duncan Hines French Vanilla mix. I use a cake mix recipe for all the cakes I make, and I make a lot!
I do use cake mixes as a base and always doctor them. I do not use store bought frosting, though. Don’t like the taste of it.
I use box mix but my kids don’t like canned frosting. I use homemade buttercream to frost cakes. I use Duncan Hines cake mix usually.
I love Dunkin Hines too! Great looking Cake girl!!
Canned frosting can be really go depending on what brand and and actual flavor it is. I find that Pillsbury cream cheese is the best, plain vanilla sucks from all brands, and the chocolate only tastes good when it’s the fudge flavored not milk.
Great idea for a cake. Can I ask why you thinned down your orange frosting with piping gel?
I just added gel food coloring! For color. It actually didnt thin down at all… I am sorry I worded that so oddly!
I use box mix in a hurry and sometimes I use them as a base to my cakes and then doctor them up. I usually use Pillsbury mixes.