This Halloween Candy Corn Cake might be one of the most fun (and surprisingly easy!) designs I’ve ever made for the occasion.
Inspired by the classic Halloween candy, this striped cake combines the cozy flavors of fall with a festive, colorful finish that’s sure to impress.
Underneath the buttercream stripes are my Pumpkin Cake layers — moist, spiced, and perfectly tender.
The outside is decorated with bold, buttercream stripes in candy corn’s signature colors: yellow, orange, and white. It’s cheerful, nostalgic, and the perfect centerpiece for any Halloween celebration!
Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Cake with Candy Corn
If you love fall baking as much as I do, this one checks all the boxes:
- Warm, cozy pumpkin cake layers
- Smooth vanilla buttercream that’s easy to work with
- Striking candy-corn-inspired colors
- A simple decorating technique that looks professional (but anyone can do it!)
Whether you’re making it for a Halloween party, fall get-together, or a candy corn birthday cake, this cake brings all the festive vibes — no complicated tools required.
What You’ll Need for My Candy Corn Cake Recipe
Ingredients
For the Pumpkin Cake Layers:
- 1 1/2 cup (300 g) granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup (165 g) packed brown light brown sugar
- 5 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup (218 g) vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons (6.3 g) vanilla
- 2 cups (400 g) pumpkin purée
- 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tablespoon (18 g) baking powder
- 3 teaspoons (7.8 g) ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 teaspoon (4 g) ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon (3 g) nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon (6 g) salt
For the Vanilla Buttercream:
- 2 cups (452 g) unsalted butter, chilled (I take the butter out of the fridge 30 minutes before I make my frosting)
- 6 cups (750 g) powdered sugar, measured and then sifted
- 1/4 cup (57.75 g) heavy whipping cream
- 2 teaspoons (8.4 g) pure vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
For Decoration:
- Gel food coloring in yellow and orange
- See the equipment list below for the extra tools you’ll need to decorate
Equipment
How to Make My Easy Candy Corn Cake (Step by Step)
Step 1. Bake and Cool the Pumpkin Cake Layers
Prepare your pumpkin cake according to the recipe. Once baked, let the layers cool completely before decorating. (Pro tip: you can bake them a day ahead and wrap them tightly in plastic wrap overnight!)
Step 2. Make the Vanilla Buttercream
While the cakes cool, prepare one full batch of my Vanilla Buttercream. Divide the frosting evenly into three bowls. Leave one white, tint one orange, and tint one yellow.
Step 3. Stack and Fill the Cake
Place your first cake layer on a cake board and spread an even layer of white buttercream on top. Repeat with the remaining layers until all are stacked and leveled. Apply a thin crumb coat to seal in crumbs, then chill the cake for 10–15 minutes.
Complement your kitchen with my baking tools ⤵
Step 4. Add the Candy Corn Stripes
Once your crumb coat is set, use the piping bags to mark where each color will go.
Then, take a look at this video to see how I created stripes with three colors:
Use your cake scraper to smooth the frosting, cleaning it between passes.
Step 5. Finishing Touches
You can leave the top smooth and simple, or pipe fun buttercream swirls and add candy corn pieces for decoration.
→ Get the full detailed recipe instructions here.
Tips for Decorating Success
- Use gel colors for bold, vivid buttercream tones without thinning the frosting.
- Chill between steps. Cold buttercream makes it easier to get smooth, clean lines. After you create your first set of stripes, you’ll want to make sure to freeze the cake for 30 minutes before filling in the gaps.
- Scrape, scrape, and scrape some more! Apply even pressure with your scraper to keep the stripes aligned. This takes some time, but as you continue to scrape, you’ll even out the colors with each pass.
Why This Candy Corn Cake Idea Simply Works
This cake is everything I love about fall baking: it’s festive, flavorful, and fun to make.
The pumpkin layers stay super moist and pair beautifully with the creamy vanilla buttercream. The colors instantly make any dessert table feel like Halloween — but it’s simple enough that you can whip it up on a weekend afternoon.
It’s proof that sometimes the most charming cakes don’t need intricate designs — just a few vibrant stripes and great flavor. 🍂
There’s even more to see in this article of cute Halloween ideas you can try!
For the Pumpkin Cake Layers
- 1 cup (218 g) vegetable oil
- 1 ½ cup (300 g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (165 g) packed brown light brown sugar
- 5 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons (6.3 g) vanilla
- 2 cups (400 g) pumpkin purée
- 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tablespoon (18 g) baking powder
- 3 teaspoons (7.8 g) ground cinnamon
- 1 ½ teaspoon (4 g) ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon (3 g) nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon (6 g) salt
For the Vanilla Buttercream
- 2 cups (452 g) unsalted butter chilled (I take the butter out of the fridge 30 minutes before I make my frosting)
- 6 cups (750 g) powdered sugar measured and then sifted
- ¼ cup (57.75 g) heavy whipping cream
- 2 teaspoons (8.4 g) pure vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
For the Cake
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Preheat 325 degrees F. Spray three 8-inch or four 6-inch round cake pans with cooking spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper rounds and spray again. Set aside.
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In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the sugar and eggs together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the oil and vanilla and beat on medium until combined, about 30 seconds. Add the pumpkin filling and mix until combined, about another 30 seconds.
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In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg, and salt, and with the mixer on the lowest speed, gradually add to the pumpkin/egg mixture.
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Evenly distribute batter into the prepared pans, smooth with a small offset palette knife and place in the center of the middle rack of the oven, about 2 inches apart. Bake until a knife or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 30-35 minutes.
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Let pans cool on a wire rack 10 minutes, and then invert cakes onto rack and cool them completely.
For the Buttercream
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In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter for about 2 minutes. This will soften the butter without it having to be warm.
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With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, one cup at a time, mixing a little in between each addition.
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With mixer on medium speed, add whipping cream, vanilla and salt.
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Turn the mixer to medium-high speed and beat for an additional 5 to 7 minutes. The frosting will become lighter in color and texture.
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Before spreading on your cake, spend a couple minutes mixing the buttercream by hand with a wooden spoon to push out the air pockets.
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