30
Oct

Halloween Cupcakes

I didn’t want to make cupcakes this week. I swear I didn’t. Let’s be honest, after those cinnamon rolls last week, I shouldn’t have made cupcakes. I even had a perfectly delicious and healthy stuffed squash recipe that I was ready to post. That is until I realized what sweet filled holiday was right around the corner- Halloween! Could I really post a recipe for Quinoa Stuffed Squash the day before Halloween? Surely some sort of ghoul or goblin would come to haunt me for committing this culinary blunder. It is Halloween after all! This is the holiday that celebrates, and even encourages, our love of all things sweet. Entire isles of the supermarket are filled with jumbo sized bags of mini candy bars, orange & black M&Ms, and that iconic sugary treat we call candy corn. Who am I to fight the primal urge to dress up like superheroes and slutty nurses so we can stuff ourselves with sugar.
So I gave in, the squash recipe will have to wait till mid-week. By then most of us will be sick from over indulging on the left-over candy that we bought for the trick-or-treaters, the bag of assorted goodies that was confiscated from the kids after their night of fun (for the sake of their health, of course), or the sticky popcorn balls that your co-worker’s grandmother makes every year. A nice, healthy stuffed squash will be just what the doctor ordered. For now though, I say give in to the sweet temptations. After all, it wouldn’t be Halloween without slutty nurses eating chocolate frosted cupcakes.

Print Recipe

Makes 24 cupcakes
Pumpkin Cupcakes:
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
¼ teaspoon cloves
1 tsp. salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup canola or vegetable oil
4 large eggs
1 cup fresh or canned pumpkin pureeChocolate frosting:
5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
2 2/3 cups confectioners’ sugar
4-6 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extractDecorations:
Black Gumdrops
Yellow writable icing
Mini Marshmallows
Chocolate sprinkles
Orange sanding sugar
A few tips for the graveyard assembly:Gravestones: You can get more than one gravestone out of a single gumdrop. I cut the entire candy into slices that were about a 1/4-inch thick. I was able to use 3 or 4 of the pieces. Just be sure that the gravestones are big enough to write on with the icing.Ghosts: For the top half of the ghost, twist the marshmallow with your fingers to form a point. Poke two tiny holes with a toothpick and insert the sprinkles for eyes. Cut a slice off each of the marshmallows and stick the cut sides together.

Be sure to place your decorations on the cupcakes before the icing dries. Finish them off by sprinkling with orange sanding sugar.

Preheat oven to 350˚. Line two 12-cup muffin pans with paper liners.
In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking, powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl fitted with an electric mixer (or using a hand mixer) combine the brown sugar, granulated sugar, and oil. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition. With the beater on low, add the flour mixture in two parts, mixing well between each addition. Fold in the pumpkin purée and mix by hand until thoroughly combined.
Divide the batter evenly among the liners. Each cup will be about ¾ of the way full. Bake 20 to 23+- minutes or until the cakes spring back when touched and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Depending on your oven, you may need to rotate the pans once. Cool completely on a wire rack.
Chocolate Frosting: In a medium bowl sift together the confectioners’ sugar and cocoa powder. In a large bowl fitted with an electric mixer (or using a hand mixer) beat the butter until creamy, about 4 minutes. With the mixer on medium low, add the sugar mixture alternating with the milk. Mix in the vanilla. Increase the mixture speed to high and beat until smooth.