• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
In Fine Taste
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » All Desserts » Halloween Cupcakes - Pumpkins

    Halloween Cupcakes - Pumpkins

    Published: Oct 21, 2018 · Modified: Mar 24, 2022 by In Fine Taste · This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Halloween Pumpkin Cupcakes with a lantern

    These little Halloween pumpkin decorated cupcakes will be charming additions to your Halloween festivities! You can whip them up in a jiff! Have fun with our other Halloween cupcakes ideas with links below!

    pumpkin cupcakes with an artificial pumpkin for halloween

     How to swirl frosting on top a cupcake?

    • For a nice twirl atop your cupcakes, we like using a Wilton cake tip #1A.
    • Simply drop this tip into your pastry bag, then fill the pastry bag with your desired frosting (see our buttercream recipe below) and roll down the top of your pastry bag.
    • Hold the rolled down portion of your bag in one hand while exerting light pressure, and use your other, dominant hand, as a guide.
    • To swirl the frosting, put your tip facing down in the middle of the cupcake top. Lightly press the frosting in the bag while you carefully guide the tip in a circular outward motion, ending on the outside with a little swoosh.
    • OR You can start with the tip facing down near the edge of the cupcake and using the same method, guide the tip in a circular inward motion, ending in the middle with a little flourish or peak.

    How to decorate a pumpkin cupcake

    Orange paste food coloring or combo of red & yellow gel will easily turn your frosting into a pumpkin! (See buttercream frosting recipe below.)  It’s easy to make leaves out of green gumdrops or green Air Heads, or you can simply pipe leaves with green frosting.

    decorations for Halloween cupcakes

    Decorating with Air Heads candy

    We also love to create all kinds of accessories from Air Heads candy. Just stretch the Air Heads to form shapes or roll them into thin vines. You can even cut out pieces. Airheads can work almost like fondant. Just a lot more economical and the colors are ready made for you!

    single pumpkin cupcake in a lantern

    Make our vanilla cupcake recipe for these tasty treats. Then whip up buttercream frosting and get ready for decorating fun!

    These darling pumpkin cupcakes are great for Halloween, or all through the fall to Thanksgiving, so try mixing up a batch today! Wishing you a Happy Halloween season!

    Enjoy!

    Dianna

    Try these other fun Halloween Cupcakes!

    • MONSTER CUPCAKES

    • SPIDER WEB CUPCAKES

    • WITCH LEGS CUPCAKES

    • PUMPKIN CUPCAKES

    Don't forget to pin this recipe for later! You can also follow us on Pinterest here!

    Tried this recipe and loved it? Comment and Rate it! Also send us a picture, WE WANT TO SEE!

    Halloween Pumpkin Cupcakes with a lantern

    Vanilla Cake or Cupcakes & Buttercream Frosting

    Moist vanilla cake recipe with instructions for cupcakes frosted with buttercream frosting, plus directions to turn them into little pumpkins!
    No ratings yet
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Cake, Cupcakes, & Frostings
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Additional Time: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 50 minutes
    Servings: 24 cu[c
    Calories: 173kcal
    Author: Dianna--In Fine Taste

    Ingredients

    For Vanilla Cake or Cupcakes

    • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
    • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ⅔ cup butter
    • 2 ¾ cups sugar
    • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
    • 3 eggs
    • 1 ¼ cups milk

    Buttercream Frosting

    • 1 cup solid vegetable shortening
    • 1 cup butter (2 sticks)
    • 2 teaspoons vanilla
    • ¼ teaspoon almond extract optional--the added flavor is really good
    • 8- cups sifted confectioner’s powdered sugar
    • ½ cup milk
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    For Vanilla Cake or Cupcakes

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line 9x13 cake pan or round pans with parchment paper to fit.
      Mix flour, baking powder and salt in a small mixing bowl, set aside.
      In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium speed to soften butter. Add sugar and vanilla and beat until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating 30 seconds after each one.
      Add dry ingredients and milk alternately to beaten mixture.Beat on low speed just until flour disappears.
      For Cake: Fill cake pan(s) with batter.9. Bake 9x13-inch cake for 23-28 minutes at 350 degrees or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. (Bake two 9-inch round cakes for 23-28 minutes; bake two 8-inch cakes for 26-30 minutes; bake three 6-inch cakes for 18-21 minutes.) Cool on a wire rack.
      For Cupcakes: Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners. Fill muffin cups ½ full of batter. Bake 17 – 20 minutes at 350 degrees or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.Cool on a wire rack.

    For Buttercream Frosting

    • In a large bowl, cream shortening and butter with electric mixer. Add vanilla & almond.
    • Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry.
    • Add milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Keep bowl covered with a damp cloth until ready to use.
    • For best results, keep icing bowl in refrigerator when not in use. Refrigerated in an airtight container, this icing can be stored 2 weeks. Rewhip before using.

    To Create the Pumpkins:

    • For a nice twirl atop your cupcakes, we like using a Wilton cake tip #1A. Simply drop this tip into your pastry bag, then fill the pastry bag with your desired frosting (see our buttercream recipe below) and roll down the top of your pastry bag.
    • Hold the rolled down portion of your bag in one hand while exerting light pressure, and use your other, dominant hand, as a guide.
    • To swirl the frosting, put your tip facing down in the middle of the cupcake top. Lightly press the frosting in the bag while you carefully guide the tip in a circular outward motion, ending on the outside with a little swoosh.
    • OR You can start with the tip facing down near the edge of the cupcake and using the same method, guide the tip in a circular inward motion, ending in the middle with a little flourish or peak
    • Orange paste food coloring or combo of red & yellow gel will easily turn your frosting into a pumpkin! (See buttercream frosting recipe below.) It’s easy to make leaves out of green gumdrops or green Air Heads, or you can simply pipe leaves with green frosting.

    Notes

    1. NOTE: If you'd like a chocolate cupcake recipe, check out the chocolate cupcake recipe on our Spider Web Cupcake post.
    2. NOTE: Sometimes we use cakes mixes. We actually like cake mixes. Our favorite yellow cake mix is Duncan Hines Yellow Cake. We just make a couple of simple changes. We add the recommended amount(s) of oil and eggs. Then fill a liquid measuring cup to the half cup line with sour cream. Add water on top of the sour cream until it reaches the amount of water called for. Mix as directed.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1g | Calories: 173kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 169mg | Sugar: 11g
    Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on Twitter
    Tried this recipe? Leave a review below, then take a picture and tag us @InFineTaste on Instagram so we can see!

    Share it on Instagram and tag us and tag #infinetasterecipes so we can see it!

    Are you part of our Facebook Page? Follow along with what's new on In Fine Taste, share YOUR favorite recipes, ask questions, post pictures of what your making, and more! Like our page HERE

    You might also enjoy these tasty Halloween recipes!

    • Mummy Jalapeno Poppers
    • Spooky 5 Minute Fudge
    • Hocus Pocus Potion Float
    • Monster Bash Brownies
    • Candy Loaded Oatmeal Cookie Bars

    Originally published October 21, 2018.

    « Halloween Cupcakes - Witch Legs!
    Halloween Spider Web Cupcakes »

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Meet Dianna & Alyssa

    two women, Dianna and Alyssa, standing with their arms around each other.

    We are Dianna & Alyssa, a mother-daughter duo, and food lovers! We are the stomachs behind all the recipes we share here on In Fine Taste.

    Read more about us

    Subscribe to our Newsletter

    'Tis the Season for Cake!

    • slice of lemon cake on white plate with blackberries on side.
      Lemon Blackberry Cake
    • Ho Ho cake with layers of moist chocolate cake, cream filling and dense chocolate frosting
      Ho Ho Cake
    • 3 layer cake with white cake and lemon filling
      Lemon Cheesecake Cake
    • slice of cake on white plate
      Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting

    More Cake Recipes

    Popular Posts

    • blue monster cookie with bite out of it stacked.
      Cookie Monster Cookies
    • soup in bowl with basil around and croutons on side.
      Roasted Red Pepper Gouda Soup
    • bowl of tzatziki with cucumbers on top
      Tzatziki (Cucumber Yogurt Sauce)
    • slices of pizza.
      The Best Pizza Dough
    logos displaying where In Fine Taste has been featured.

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • About Us

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Have a question? Or want to work with us? Send us a message!
    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.