Our Terry’s Chocolate Orange pumpkin-shaped cake makes a striking centrepiece for any Halloween party. This guide explains how to bake a chocolate sponge in a large doughnut or bundt mould to create a rounded pumpkin shape, conceal a whole Terry’s Chocolate Orange in the centre, then transform the cake into a pumpkin with fondant, chocolate decorations and a cascade of Terry’s Chocolate Orange Minis.
The finished cake is covered in orange fondant, finished with chocolate eyes, mouth and a stalk, and topped with a fountain of Terry’s Chocolate Orange Minis spilling from the top for a fun, spooky effect.
With Halloween approaching, it was the perfect project for Kay and her creative sister Rebecca, who handled the decorating with professional flair. Follow the steps below to recreate this showstopping dessert at home.
How to make a Halloween Pumpkin Shaped Cake at home?
This post is organised as two recipe sections: one for the chocolate sponge baked in a doughnut mould and another for the decoration and assembly steps. The recipe below serves as a complete, step-by-step walkthrough.
📖 Step by Step Recipe
Pumpkin Shaped Chocolate Cake Sponge
Celebrate Halloween with a Terry’s Chocolate Orange pumpkin cake. Bake a chocolate sponge in a doughnut or bundt mould to create a hollow centre that perfectly fits a whole Terry’s Chocolate Orange. Then decorate with buttercream, orange fondant, chocolate details and Terry’s minis for an impressive spooky centrepiece.
Equipment
- Large doughnut cake mould (or bundt pan)
- Scales
- Cake mixer or hand mixer
- Rolling pin and cake decorating tools
Ingredients
Chocolate cake (for a large doughnut mould)
- 3 large eggs
- 175 g self-raising flour
- 175 g caster sugar
- 175 g unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- 40 g cocoa powder
- 4 tbsp boiling water
Decoration
- 1 Terry’s Chocolate Orange (whole)
- 120 g unsalted butter (for buttercream)
- 250 g icing sugar (for buttercream)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 500 g ready-to-roll white fondant
- Orange food colouring (gel)
- 300 g chocolate cake covering (for decorations)
- 125 g Terry’s Chocolate Orange Minis
Instructions
Making the chocolate cake
- Preheat the oven to 180°C fan / 200°C / 400°F / gas mark 6. Place the eggs, flour, caster sugar, butter and baking powder in a large mixing bowl and whisk until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, mix the cocoa powder with boiling water to form a stiff paste, then fold this into the cake mixture and whisk until even.
- Grease the doughnut mould(s) with butter. Divide the mixture equally between the moulds (if you have one mould, bake in two batches).
- Bake for 20–25 minutes or until the sponge is risen and springs back to the touch. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before decorating.
Decorating the cake into a pumpkin
- Remove the two cake rings from their moulds. Place a full Terry’s Chocolate Orange into the hollow of one cake base.
- Make the buttercream: beat the 120 g butter until creamy, add the icing sugar in batches and beat until light and smooth, then add the vanilla and whisk briefly.
- Spread a layer of buttercream around the Terry’s Chocolate Orange and across the top of the bottom cake layer. Place the second cake layer on top.
- Use the remaining buttercream to coat the entire cake so the sponge is completely covered. Chill in the fridge to set.
- Melt the chocolate cake covering in a heatproof bowl over simmering water. Pour half onto parchment and smooth to create flat sheets; chill to set. Use the remaining melted chocolate to pipe into a cone on parchment to form a chocolate stalk; chill to harden.
- Colour the fondant: knead orange gel into the white fondant until you reach a bright pumpkin orange. Roll the fondant on icing sugar until large enough to fully cover the cake.
- Drape the fondant over the chilled cake, trim excess and smooth with a fondant tool to remove air pockets. Save extra fondant for the pumpkin lid and small decorations.
- Cut a star-shaped opening on top where the stalk will sit and reserve that fondant piece. Insert the chocolate stalk into the centre area.
- Use buttercream to stick Terry’s Chocolate Orange Minis around the top hole and down the sides to create an overflowing effect.
- From the chilled flat chocolate, cut out eyes, a mouth and any other facial details. Attach them to the fondant surface using a little buttercream.
- Use a ball tool or similar to press vertical indentations into the fondant to emulate pumpkin ribs. Roughen the chocolate stalk if desired for a rustic look and add the fondant star lid beside the cake.
- Step back and photograph before serving — then slice and enjoy the chocolate-orange surprise in the centre.
Video
Nutrition
If you prefer a shortcut, you can buy two ready-made chocolate sponge rings or bundt cakes, carve them to achieve a rounder pumpkin shape, and insert a chocolate orange in the middle before decorating.
Making a Pumpkin Chocolate Sponge Cake
We used a large doughnut cake ring to achieve the rounded pumpkin silhouette. A whole Terry’s Chocolate Orange fits snugly in the centre — a delightful surprise when the cake is sliced.
Pour the batter into two doughnut ring moulds, bake until risen and springy, then cool before assembling and decorating. Alternatively, use two bundt pans for a taller cake (you may need to scale up ingredients).
Equipment that helped us make the pumpkin-shaped cake
- Cake mixer or hand mixer
- Large doughnut or bundt mould(s)
- Palette knife and rolling pin
Can I use store-bought cake instead?
Yes. Using two store-bought chocolate sponge cakes will save time: carve and round the layers, create a central cavity large enough for a Terry’s Chocolate Orange, then proceed with the decoration steps.
Using chocolate to create decorations
Melt chocolate cake covering and pour half onto parchment to set flat sheets for face features, and pipe the remaining chocolate into a parchment cone to form a stalk. Chill the pieces while you prepare the cake and fondant.
How to make an easy buttercream
Beat softened butter until creamy, gradually add icing sugar and continue to beat until light and smooth. Add vanilla and mix briefly. Use this to fill and crumb-coat the cake and to secure chocolate decorations and minis.
How to create orange fondant icing for the pumpkin
Knead orange gel into ready-to-roll white fondant until you achieve a vibrant colour. Dust with icing sugar and roll out the fondant large enough to cover the cake. Smooth carefully over the chilled buttercream, trim away excess and use the leftover fondant for the star lid and small accents.
Equipment that helped us decorate our Pumpkin Shaped Cake
- Cake mixer or hand mixer
- Palette knife and fondant smoothing tools
We spent a full day creating this Terry’s Chocolate Orange pumpkin cake, and the result was well worth the effort — a memorable treat that delighted kids and adults alike.
Open the cake to reveal the chocolate orange center — a delicious surprise. The whole process is fun and the finished cake makes a fantastic Halloween centrepiece.
Enjoy making this pumpkin-shaped cake for your Halloween celebration — it’s a fun project with a delicious payoff.
This recipe was originally published 17/10/2019 and updated 21/03/2025 with a recipe card moved higher on the page for improved user experience.