Fantastic pumpkin cupcake created by CovetThyCupcake
If you are looking this Fall to make a batch of pumpkin cupcakes, then look no further!
Step 1 – Choose your pumpkin cupcake recipe
If you have an age old favorite then just skip this step, if not, we have at least five pumpkin flavored cupcake ideas for you on our post in early September - Five Pumpkin Packed Cupcakes
Each of these cupcakes is shown with an image and a link back to the blog, which contains a full recipe to create the cupcakes. So have a look and select the one that most suits your pumpkin requirements.
Step 2 – Go Shopping
What you will need to buy is, all the ingredients for your cupcakes (of course), then you will also need the decoration. To make these cupcakes you will require orange food dye, or if you cannot get that, get yellow and red (do you feel like you are in school art class?), sugar (optional) and finally something to make your stalk with. Now the options are varied, if you are going with a cream cheese frosting, then pretzels work really well, if you have a normal butter and sugar frosting then you can go all out with licorice and if you are wanting to cover with a ganache (make sure you go white chocolate otherwise your pumpkins will be brown!), then why not go a flake chocolate bar. Whatever your choice for frosting their will be something to work with the flavor.
Step 3. Make the cupcakes
Follow the directions supplied and make your batch of cupcakes. Allow them to fully cool then whip up your chosen frosting. When it is fully mixed add the orange coloring. If you have only red and yellow coloring, add a little red and a little yellow and then adjust to get the desired color. Remember you want to get a real intense orange color so you will need a reasonable amount of color.
When it is all mixed through and even (no color variation), spread the frosting onto your cupcakes nice and smoothly.
Step 4. Decorating
Option 1 – If you are going to coat your cupcakes in sugar to get the look shown here by CovetThyCupcake then you will need to take your sugar and place at least half a cup in a zip lock bag. Add your food coloring and then zip lock the bag and mash with your fingers to get the color to spread and take to all the sugar. Add more color if it is not intense enough then when you are complete, pour the sugar into a small bowl.
Lift your covered cupcake by its base and roll it around in the orange sugar until it is completely coated. This should be quite easy as your frosting should be still tacky.
Option 2 – Skip the sugar step and just show your frosted cupcakes as they are. If you are going this way you may need to allow your frosting to set for an hour or so before adding your lines. This really depends on how runny your icing was.
Step 5 – Finish your Cupcakes
Hold your cupcake in one hand and using the back of a knife or a skewer, place the tip on the centre of the cupcake and then roll the knife or skewer down to the cupcake wrapper. This should create an indent. You want to be firm and even but be careful about applying too much pressure. Create about five pumpkin lines, then finish off your pumpkin with your chosen stem. CovetThyCupcake has used a pretzel to create hers!
For more Halloween ideas, check out our spooky 25 Halloween ideas and for Fall ideas, click here!