Hosting Halloween

Party planning expert Mindy Alyse designed this rustic gathering that highlights everything we love about fall. Instead of a spooky celebration, she wanted to create a party that felt grown-up with a bit of vintage flair.

Photography by Tasha Brady

Venue

Capitalize on the crisp autumn air with an outdoor gathering. A backyard or nearby barn set the backdrop for a festive but low key evening.

Menu

Host a candy potluck. Instead of going door to door for candy, invite guests to contribute to a sweet treats buffet. Here a pumpkin bundt cake iced with maple buttercream frosting makes a scrumptious focal point. The rest of the desserts - donuts, mini pies and caramel apples - play sweet supporting roles.

Favors

Mindy cleverly personalized take-out boxes then displayed them as place cards. Show guests to their seats while ensuring they don’t leave you to polish off all of the goodies alone.

Decor

Play up the barn house aesthetic with old furniture and a vintage hutch for displaying desserts. Decorate the table with books, mismatched china and candles. Bring out a projector and allow your guests to watch spooky films as the sun sets.

Pumpkin Bundt Cake

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 2 large eggs (room temperature)

• 1 cup canned 100% pumpkin purée

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

• 1/2 cup coconut oil

Maple Buttercream Frosting:

• half stick unsalted butter

• 6 ounces cream cheese

• 4 cups sifted confectioner’s sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

• 1 teaspoon maple extract

• 2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup

Prepare

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat bundt pan with coconut oil spray.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.

Separately, in a larger bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin purée, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and coconut oil. Add the flour mixture and stir until combined.

Pour into bundt cake pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Let cool.

Make the frosting. Combine room temperature butter and cream cheese and mix them together until creamy.

Add powdered sugar one cup at a time until fully incorporated.

Add extracts and syrup and mix until light and fluffy (about 1-2 minutes).

Spread the cake with the maple buttercream frosting once completely cool.

Apple Mini Pies

Ingredients

• one box pre-made pie crust dough (you will use both rounds of dough)

For the filling:

• 4 large granny smith apples

• 1/4 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling

• 1 lemon, juiced

• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• one egg, lightly beaten

Prepare

Heat oven to 425 degrees.

Peel, core and slice apples into 1/4- inch slices. Then chop into smaller pieces. Toss apple pieces with sugar, lemon juice, flour, and cinnamon.

Flour your work surface, and roll out pie crust dough. Cut out an even number of circles (we used a biscuit cutter) and press half of them into a cupcake pan.

Place one spoonful of apple mixture in center of each dough cup, place another round on top and seal the edges with a fork.

Brush the top of the dough with the lightly-beaten egg, and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake for 5 minutes at 425 degrees, then reduce temperature to 350 degrees and bake 10-15 minutes more or until crust is golden brown.

Cool on wire racks, and garnish with a confetti stick.