Halloween: Recipes

After stuffing yourself with candy, you might be interested in some Halloween-inspired goodies that are slightly more substantial. Try out some of these easy recipes for your holiday celebrations and throughout the year.

Easy Chocolate Pumpkin Cake

This cake, made with pre-packaged ingredients, will be a hit at any holiday party. It’s quick, festive, and a great alternative to traditional pumpkin desserts.

1 box chocolate cake mix, 15 oz. canned pumpkin, 1⁄4 cup water, 1 container frosting (any variety), Halloween candy decorations (optional).

Preheat oven according to directions on cake mix. In a medium mixing bowl, combine water, cake mix, and pumpkin. Mix well until batter is uniform in appearance. Pour equal amounts of batter into two 8" cake pans. Bake for recommended time according to cake mix instructions. When done, remove from oven and let cool. Place first cake on serving plate and spread a layer of frosting on the surface. Place second cake on top and frost remainder of cake thoroughly. Decorate as desired.

Alternatives: Don’t like chocolate? Substitute a box of spice, white, or yellow cake mix instead.

Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream

Ever wanted to create a custom flavor of ice cream? Now’s your chance. This recipe combines the taste of pumpkin pie with the coolness of ice cream, and it’s easy to make.

1⁄2 gallon vanilla ice cream, softened, 15 oz. canned pumpkin, 1 tsp. ground cinnamon, 1⁄2 tsp. ground ginger, 1⁄4 tsp. ground cloves, 1 pre-made graham cracker crust.

Once the ice cream is softened (but not completely melted), pour contents into large mixing bowl. In separate bowl, combine pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves until thoroughly mixed. Combine pumpkin mixture with ice cream. Break crust into small pieces and mix desired amounts into ice cream mixture. Pour contents into freezer container and freeze until ice cream hardens.

Alternatives: Make an ice cream pie: Instead of breaking crust into pieces, pour ice cream mixture into crust. Cover with plastic wrap. Freeze until ice cream is solid.

Pumpkin Seed Trail Mix

This is a fall version of trail mix that can help keep you focused and satisfied throughout the day.

Pumpkin seeds (one pumpkin’s worth), one bag candy corn, one bag mixed dried fruit, salt, to taste.

Place raw pumpkin seeds on baking sheet and sprinkle with salt. Bake 10 minutes (if dried), 15–20 minutes (if wet), or until they begin to brown. Let seeds cool. Mix seeds, candy corn, and dried fruit.

Alternatives: Vary the fruit-to-candy ratio to create a different taste every time.

Need more Halloween? Read up on scary movies and places on campus.