Ghost Meringue Topped Pumpkin Spice Pudding Sheet Cake

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-07 · Updated 2026-05-07

A moist pumpkin spice cake layered with smooth pumpkin pudding and crowned with delicate ghost-shaped meringues for a festive Halloween dessert. This American-inspired Halloween recipe, ready in about 90 minutes, layers all-purpose flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon into a dessert worth slowing down for — great for weekend baking, holiday tables, or any time you want a sweet payoff at the end of a meal. Each serving lands at about 280 calories and feeds 12, so it slots into a weekend bake or a special-occasion dessert tray. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 package (3.4 oz) instant pumpkin spice pudding mix
• 2 cups cold milk
• 3 large egg whites
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• for ghost faces black decorating gel

The stand mixer we’d knead this with → Best Stand Mixers for 2026: Top Picks + Buying Guide

Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13-inch baking pan.
2. Step 2: In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg, 1/4 tsp ground ginger, and 1/4 tsp salt.
3. Step 3: In a large bowl, beat 1 cup granulated sugar with 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 2 large eggs, 1 cup pumpkin puree, and 1 tsp vanilla extract until smooth.
4. Step 4: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.
5. Step 5: Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
6. Step 6: Let cake cool completely while preparing pudding: whisk 1 package (3.4 oz) instant pumpkin spice pudding mix with 2 cups cold milk for 2 minutes until thickened.
7. Step 7: Spread the pumpkin pudding evenly over the cooled cake.
8. Step 8: To make ghost meringues, preheat oven to 225°F. Beat 3 large egg whites with 1/2 cup granulated sugar using an electric mixer on high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form.
9. Step 9: Pipe ghost shapes on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 1 hour 15 minutes, then turn off oven and leave meringues inside to dry for 1 hour.
10. Step 10: Once meringues have cooled, arrange them on top of the pudding layer and use black decorating gel to draw eyes and mouths just before serving.