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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!
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.
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!
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!
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Vanilla Cupcakes & Buttercream Frosting
Moist vanilla cupcakes frosted with smooth and creamy buttercream frosting, plus directions to turn them into little pumpkins!
Ingredients
For Vanilla Cupcakes
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2/3 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 (2 sticks) butter
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional--the added flavor is really good)
- 8-cups sifted confectioner’s (powdered) sugar
- 1/2 cup milk
Instructions
For Vanilla Cupcakes
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.
3. Mix flour, baking powder and salt in a small mixing bowl; set aside.
4. 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.
5. Add eggs, one at a time, beating 30 seconds after each one.
6. Add dry ingredients and milk alternately to beaten mixture. 7. Beat on low speed just until flour disappears.
8. Fill muffin cups 1/2 full of batter.
9. 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:
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.
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 Information:
Yield:
24Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 173Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 169mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 0gSugar: 11gProtein: 1g
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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.
[…] chocolatey cupcakes (see recipe below) are topped with our buttercream frosting, see recipe in our Halloween Cupcakes -Pumpkins post. We used violet paste food coloring; red and blue gel color will also do the […]