How to carve a pumpkin

Create a spooky Jack-o'-lantern with this classic pumpkin carving guide.

Easy

Our own summary of the original by Good Food team — the full post and photos live at bbcgoodfood.com.

This tutorial walks you through carving a classic pumpkin face. You'll learn how to safely cut the top, hollow out the inside, draw and cut facial features, and finish with a glowing tea light. Perfect for Halloween decoration.

Directions

Select a sizable pumpkin and slice off the top using a sharp serrated knife.

With a large spoon, remove the seeds and stringy fibers and throw them away. Also scrape out a bit of the inner flesh.

Sketch a basic face on the pumpkin using a marker. Then, with a small serrated knife, carefully cut along the lines for the eyes, nose, and mouth, always directing the blade away from your body to prevent accidents.

Place a tea light inside the pumpkin, ignite it, and put the top back on.