These store-bought shortcut Pumpkin Halloween Cupcakes are the most delicious little pumpkins you ever did make! Not to mention they're so easy to make, you'll have pumpkin treats ready in 30 minutes or less!
Buttercream Basics
This is my absolute favorite buttercream! All you need is butter, powdered sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla! It's such a simple base, but I use it all the time, like in this Spring Vanilla Cake!
My trick to getting the fluffiest, creamiest frosting is to whip the buttercream on medium high speed for at least 7 minutes.
I add the butter and powdered sugar first, then after they're mixed together, I add the rest of the ingredients. When everything is mixed together, I increase the speed and let the mixer go for 7 minutes, although 10 is best! I stop the mixer every few minutes to scrape down the edges of the bowl with a spatula. By whipping all the air into the buttercream, you create a really light and fluffy frosting that is so easy to pipe and frost with!
Piping Tips
To create these little pumpkins, I use two different piping tips! I use a larger star tip and a small leaf tip.
The star tip has 5 little prongs at the end that can either be sticking out straight or rounded into the piping tip. Either one works for this! The leaf tip has a thinner opening with a ruffle edge to it.
I take the orange buttercream and start at the outer edge and make a curve around the edge of the cupcake stopping halfway around. I pick up the piping bag, go back to the start of the frosting and pipe another curve around the outside of the other edge, stopping at the halfway point again. Then, I take the piping back back to the starting position and pipe a strip straight down the middle of the cupcake. This should fill in the middle gap!
Then I pipe a little stump and add a leaf!
But what if I don't have any piping tips!
If you don't have those piping tips, I have two suggestions:
- For the orange buttercream, cut a slightly larger hole in the piping bag, and repeat the same motion. You'll still get those classic pumpkin ridges, although you might have to make more in order to fill in the gaps. So piping two strips down the edges of the cupcake before you add the strip in the middle. I think this also looks really cute and pumpkin-like!
- If you don't have the leaf tip, I recommend cutting a tiny hole at the end of the piping bag and making vines instead! I tried different ways to cut the piping bag/sandwich bag, but couldn't quite get that leaf shape. Cut a little bit of the edge off, and then add little swirls of green around the stump! Also, very cute and very rustic looking!
Ingredient List:
- 1 box Chocolate Cake Mix
- 2 sticks Butter
- 3 cups Powdered Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 3 tablespoons Heavy Cream
- Food Coloring
Using store-bought shortcuts, these Pumpkin Halloween Cupcakes are not only easy but super adorable! I love serving them on a wooden platter with some fake moss and greenery around. For a Halloween party, try adding some fake spiders, too!
Cheers!
-Holly Michelle
Pumpkin Halloween Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 1 box Chocolate Cake Mix
- 2 sticks Butter
- 3 cups Powdered Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 3 tablespoons Heavy Cream
- Food Coloring
Instructions
- Prepare the cake mix according to package directions for cupcakes.1 box Chocolate Cake Mix
- Let cupcakes cool.
- Make the frosting by creaming together butter and powdered sugar.2 sticks Butter, 3 cups Powdered Sugar
- Once powdered sugar is fully combined, add in heavy cream and vanilla extract.1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract, 3 tablespoons Heavy Cream
- Whip frosting for about 5-7 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Separate frosting into three bowls. I take about ½ cup in one bowl, ½ cup in another bowl and leave the remaining frosting in the mixing bowl.
- To one of the smaller bowls, add a few drops of green. To the other smaller bowl, add a couple drops of brown food coloring.
- In the mixing bowl, add orange food coloring. To tone down the brightness of the orange, I like to add a tiny drop of brown!Food Coloring
- Add the orange buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a star tip. Add the brown buttercream to a piping bag with the end snipped off. Add the green buttercream to a piping bag with the leaf tip.**
- Take the orange buttercream and pipe a curved strip around the outside of half the cupcake, then pipe another strip on the other side of the cupcake. Then pipe a strip right down the middle connecting the other pieces.
- Then add a little stump at the top with the brown buttercream and a leaf with the green buttercream!
- Enjoy!
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