Adapted from Ina Garten and Martha Stewart’s pumpkin cupcakes, this recipe has always been a favorite for me. Amazingly enough I even prefer it to pumpkin pie because it’s so moist, delicious and easy to make!
The cupcake recipe is kid-friendly, just a few bowls and a whisk is all you’ll need.
I was thrilled to have them featured in a local magazine, Good Life Magazine, and thank Katherine Elphick for the lovely article, and Ellie Kistemaker for the fantastic photographs!
It was fun to watch Ellie work and am grateful for the photography tips and tricks she shared with me!
The topper is also inspired by Martha’s version here. So quick and easy to make, they’re perfect for anything autumn or Halloween themed. If you’d like to make them, the recipes are below and here’s a little pumpkin how-to:
How to Make Pumpkin Toppers
You’ll Need:
- fondant
or gum paste
- orange
and brown
gel paste coloring (green optional)
- toothpick
- royal icing (optional)
Here’s a quick visual summary for you:
And in more detail…
Instructions:
1. For the pumpkin garnishes, color a small amount of fondant orange.
You can vary the amounts as not all pumpkins are the same size, but as a guideline, I used approximately 10 g or 0.30 ounces.
2. Between the palms of your hands, roll the fondant into a ball.
3. Poke a hole in the top of each with a toothpick and rotate in a circular motion, creating an opening for the pumpkin stem.
4. Score lines into each pumpkin with a toothpick from top to bottom.
I go around a few times until I’m happy with the shape.
The batch on the left, below, was made with a little less food coloring. Make yours as bright or pale as you like by playing with the amount of color you add.
5. If the hole in the pumpkin is deep enough and the stems narrow enough at the base, the stems will stay inserted into the pumpkin, but for some added security, add a dab of royal icing inside the hole to act as a sweet glue.
6. Color a small amount of fondant brown. Roll tiny bits into stem shapes, score a few lines into the stem with a paring knife or toothpick and insert into the tops of the pumpkins.
7. Pumpkin Leaf – {Optional} Pictorial summary above and for detailed instructions click here).
Enjoy the recipe!
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup canned pumpkin purée
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 254 g (1 block) cream cheese, at room temperature
- ½ lb unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 tbs real maple syrup
- 1 lb icing sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tin with paper liners.
- Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and ginger, into a medium bowl.
- In a larger bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin purée, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vegetable oil. Add the flour mixture and stir until combined.
- Divide the batter among the muffin tin and bake for about 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Set pumpkin cupcakes aside to cool completely. These are delicious frosted with cream cheese icing or just as is!
- Cream the cream cheese, butter and maple syrup in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Slowly add the icing sugar and beat until smooth.
- Once your cupcakes are cool, ice them with a butter knife or large piping bag and tip of your choice. (I used a large round tip – Ateco #809).
Hope this inspires you to try a new pumpkin recipe or do some fall baking. Do you have any pumpkin recipe favorites?
Share your thoughts with me here in the comment section below, or you can share them on Facebook or twitter.
Happy decorating!
xo,
Marian
p.s. If you’d like to never miss a post, and/or receive more tips on decorating, click on this button below to sign up for free:
I just made these and they’re great! I will note that I halved the cream cheese icing recipe and had some left over even after frosting twelve cupcakes pretty generously. I would definitely think the icing is more appropriate for two dozen at the volumes printed here.
@ Cheryl:
Hi, not sure where in Aus you live but I am in Melbourne and you can get canned pumpkin from the USA food store. They also deliver Aus wide. Check their website. They may also be able to tell you if they supply to any stores in your area as they import and supply a lot of products to other stores.
Hi Marian! So I made a slight variation of these last week, they were great! How do you get that perfect circle of frosting, like a cloud or pillow!?
I tried swirling with a large round tip but it came out sloppy. Maybe you held it in the center and applied pressure until it fluffed up high enough?
I need to know!
Thanks
Super, @ Robyn, thanks so much for your input!
Hi @ Deanna Williams: I used a really large round tip (Ateco #808), and, just as you said, I held it in the center and went around. Here is a video on how I do it, (different piping tips shown though):
http://sweetopia.net/2012/04/buttercream-frosting-recipe-an-untold-sugar-flower-secret-revealed/
Hope that helps!
These are fantastic cupcakes! But I was wondering if this recipe could be made into pumpkin bread and if so do you have to change any ingredients? Thank you!
Hi @ Nikki, I haven’t tried it but I don’t see why not! Maybe use a little loaf pan like one you might use for banana bread. Let me know how it goes please.
I’m in the process of making these right now….for the frosting is it 1/2 pound of butter (2 sticks) or is it supposed to be 1/2 cup (1 stick)?
Hi @ Katelyn: Both ways works, no problem. With 2 sticks definitely has more of cream cheese taste and is less sweet. Hope you like it!
Stumbled across your recipe, and made these yesterday using some leftover pumpkin I had – I just wanted to thank you, thank you, and THANK YOU again, for this incredible recipe… I will be making these over and over again. Unbelievable texture and wonderful flavour. Definitely going into my “favourites” folder!
@ Nicky: That’s so great to hear! Thanks!!
I made these for a family event this past weekend (just plain cream cheese frosting) and everyone loved them. They were inhaled. I have been trying a lot of pumpkin cupcake/cake recipes and this one is the best. It tastes just like pumpkin pie, but had the consistency of the perfect cupcake. And it’s easy! (It doubled just fine.) Now I can stop looking for the right recipe!
Hi Marian, your pumpkin cupcakes looks fantastic and delicious. Surely will try out this cupcakes recipe and your incredible pumpkin’s fondant, i bet will have a lots fun.
what do you mean by 1lb on the unsalted butter and icing sugar? is it like the whole tub or bag? soory still new to baking! thanks!!
Hi there! I would like to use this recipe for a cake instead of cupcakes and I was just wondering if the frosting crusts at all? I’d like to use the Viva method to smooth it, do you think that will work with this frosting?
Hi!
Gonna try this recipe on Saturday. Just a question, I do not use all purpose flour, instead I use Self Rising; I think its substitute de baking soda, baking powder and salt portions, right?