Pumpkin Cupcakes

Mon, Oct 31, 2011

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The trick to these treats is using a mini doughnut stacked on top of each cupcake to complete the pumpkin shape. In the New York Times Bestseller: What’s New, Cupcake? I saw the idea of using doughnuts on top of cupcakes to make cupcakes that look like apples. I had some leftover white cupcakes and some orange buttercream frosting to decorate for Halloween so I decided to try out the idea for pumpkin cupcakes. Any flavor of cupcake will do and your kids can help decorate them, even turning some of them into jack-o-lanterns with icing or candies.

The leftover icing that I was using up ended up being a bit too runny and all I had were pale yellow liners. Both worked in a pinch but the resulting pumpkins looked more like a cross between pumpkins and squash. Next time I will be sure to use orange paper liners that match the frosting and sprinkles and a thicker frosting to help hold the pumpkin shape.

With that, I wish you a safe and Happy Halloween!

Pumpkin Cupcakes

Recipe Type: Dessert

Author: Itsy Bitsy Foodies

Prep time: 1 hour 10 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Total time: 1 hour 30 mins

Serves: 24

The trick to these treats is using a mini doughnut stacked on top of each cupcake to complete the pumpkin shape.

Ingredients

White Cake
3 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 3/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup butter
1 1/2 Tbsp oil
2 egg whites
1 2/3 cups milk
1/2 cup plain, fat-free yogurt
2 1/2 tsp vanilla
Buttercream Frosting
3 ¾ cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
3 Tbsp milk
Carrot juice or orange food coloring, to color
Pumpkin Cupcakes
24 cupcakes baked in orange paper cupcake liners
24 mini plain or chocolate-coated doughnuts
24 chocolate Tootsie rolls
Orange decorating sugar

Instructions

White Cake

Cream the butter, oil and sugar.
Add the egg whites and beat well.
Add the vanilla, milk and yogurt alternately with the flour, baking powder and baking soda.
Pour the cake batter into cupcake tins lined with orange paper liners.
Bake the cupcakes for 15 minutes until the top springs back when lightly touched and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Buttercream Frosting

Mix the ingredients and beat for several minutes until a smooth, creamy frosting forms.
Add orange food coloring or carrot juice if desired. {Using food coloring will affect the consistency of the frosting so you can omit some of the milk or add more powdered sugar as needed.}

Pumpkin Cupcakes

Let the cupcakes baked in orange paper liners cool completely.
Ice the cupcakes with a thin layer of orange frosting.
Slice the bottom of each doughnut off and place one bottom down on each frosted cupcake.
Place the cupcakes in the freezer to allow the doughnuts to set for 10 minutes.
Pour the orange decorating sugar in a bowl.
Working with one cupcake at a time, spread orange frosting on the top and sides of the doughnut and cover the cupcake top to make it look like a pumpkin {or a squash}.
Gently roll the cupcake tops in the orange decorating sugar to completely coat them.
If the icing seems too runny, let the iced cupcakes rest for 1-2 minutes before rolling them in the sugar so that the frosting doesn’t run or get gloppy.
Form the Tootsie rolls into stems and insert one into the top of each cupcake.