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Carved Pumpkin Cake

Published: | Updated: | By Ashlee

It’s easy create this realistic pumpkin cake. Carve, frost and fondant cover a cake. Then use an airbrush to make it look real.

carved pumpkin cake

While I don’t have time to decorate right now (I’m just hoping to get to making some costumes!) I do LOVE October and in honor of this wonderful month and my favorite season (fall)

I just had to share one of my all time favorite cakes. It’s from back in the day when I had maybe one blog reader so it won’t be too familiar to you all so I hope you enjoy it.

I actually made it for Thanksgiving dinner 2 years ago. If I made it for Halloween I’d make it a Jack O’ Lantern! Wouldn’t that be SO cute!

I might just have to do that! This was my first airbrushing ever. It was also an all-nighter for me, but most of my cakes are!!

3d carved pumpkin cake

I hand carved the cake, covered it ganache then Orange fondant. Then I started airbrushing away!!! I was so nervous. But I love love LOVE the end result! I added a green marbled fondant stem and airbrushed it as well.

When I showed it to my Uncle the next day he actually grabbed the stem and pulled! AHHHH! He thought it was a ceramic container and that the dessert was inside!

We ended up using it as our centerpiece for the meal! This was the first time I used Ganache under fondant instead of buttercream. Changed my life!

It’s my favorite way to do it. It holds in the moisture AND it doesn’t squish out all over the place when you put the fondant on. So happy October and early Halloween festivities!

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About Ashlee

With the right tips and tricks, I believe YOU can make, bake, or create anything. This is what I love to do - make some awesome, teach you how, and give you that boost of culinary confidence you need to rock your own kitchen! Read more...

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  2. Amanda @ Every Crafty Endeavor

    Your cake is totally awesome! What talent you have! I love it – are you going to the GNO on Thursday? If so, I will see you there!!

    Reply

  5. Cheapskate4Life

    This is amazing! You should send this to Cake Wrecks for their Sunday Sweets feature! Every Sunday they feature amazing beautiful cakes from various decorators & I think this should be included!

    Reply

    • Ashlee

      Thank you! I’d love to be featured there someday! Just as long as I don’t ever end up on a wreck page! Ha! I actually based this cake off a fall/pumpkin wedding cake I saw featured on Sunday Sweets around 3 years ago!

    • Ashlee

      Chocolate of course! Does dessert even count if it’s not chocolate? My motto has always been “if it’s not chocolate, what’s the point”. And I have a TO DIE for Chocolate cake. I have great cakes in other flavors, but this one is over the top AMAZING! I guess I could have gone with my pumpkin cake, but since I also made a few pumpkin pies I didn’t think it was neccessary! I also made a few lemon pies, pecan pies, and of course chocolate pies for the gathering!

  8. Allie

    Wow! It looks amazing! I have never done ganache rather than buttercream but it makes Absolute sense! WIll be trying this for upcoming fourth birthday… You should come link this up to my Making It With Allie party! It ends shortly but will be open again later this week. I would love to have you add your projects! They are lovely!
    Allie
    AllieMakes.Blogspot.com

    Reply

    • Ashlee

      Thanks! I love working with Ganache. It’s so much better for under fondant. You put it on and let it dry, then if there is any place that’s no perfect just rub your finger over it. The little heat from your finger melts the bad spot. So it seals in the cake and moister, and it’s a smooth, strong support for fondant. LOVE it! BTW I absolutely LOVE your candy corn dress! Was that all done with a serger? I’ve got to get myself one of those! AMAZING!

    • Ashlee

      Thank you! I really should have taken a picture once it was cut into to “prove” it! It totally surprised everyone there! Oh, and I love those HUGE black urns by your door! Did you get them like that, or paint them?

    • Ashlee

      I’m glad you like it! I actually made it almost 2 years ago for Thanksgiving, WAY before craft blog’s and tutorials had entered my life! I didn’t even think to take pictures of the process. But I just started with an 8 inch round cake 6 inches tall and just started carving away. Then covered it with Ganache then fondant. Then airbrushed it and voila!

    • Ashlee

      You are TOO sweet! Wouldn’t that be so much fun, to get to make fun cakes ALL the time? And I love your pillows! I hadn’t looked too much into designing my own textiles, but now I’m going to check out the companies you use and look into it!

    • Ashlee

      I’ll have to make another one, since back when I made this I never considered a tutorial! It’s our pet pig’s birthday this month (on the 31st) though so maybe I’ll be able to throw one together in honor of him!

    • Ashlee

      Thanks! Those High top cupcakes look great! They are on my list of things to do soon! I wish I was good a photography so I guess we all have something more we wish we could do! I bet you’d be better than you think at cake decorating, you obviously have a good eye!