Perfectly Cute Pumpkin Cupcakes

I love coming up with easy cupcake decorating ideas that kids can help out with – especially ideas that look super cute when we’re done, like these Perfectly Cute Pumpkin Cupcakes!

So, I have to get this out of the way – these are not pumpkin cupcakes, not pumpkin-flavored anyways. As much as my daughter loves all things pumpkin spice (as evidenced by our growing collection of pumpkin spice recipes – like our Pumpkin Spice Cookies or Pumpkin Rice Krispie Treats), I quickly overdose on the stuff early in the season.

These are cute vanilla cupcakes styled to look like little pumpkins and they look super cute laid out for a party or a classroom snack – letting the kids “pick their pumpkins.”

It would also be fun to decorate these as part of a fall party or an activity for the kids on Thanksgiving.

How to Make Pumpkin-Style Cupcakes

First, gather your ingredients:

For the cupcakes:

2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the vanilla buttercream:
1 cup butter, softened
3-4 cups icing sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
pinch salt
2-3 tablespoons milk or heavy cream

Orange food dye

For the garnish:

6 large pretzel sticks

12-24 green jelly beans

Preheat oven to 375F.

Line a muffin tray with cupcake liners.
Cream butter and sugar till light and fluffy, about 2 minutes; beat in eggs one at a time, then vanilla. Set aside.

In a small bowl, mix the flour, baking powder and salt.

Add half of the flour mixture to the butter-sugar mixture, then the milk, then the remaining flour mixture.

Portion out into the cupcake liners, about 1/2 cup each liner.

Bake for 18-22 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

For the buttercream:
Place softened butter into a bowl and beat in 2 cups of icing sugar. Add 2 Tablespoons heavy cream and vanilla.

Add remaining icing sugar 1/2 cup at a time until you reach your desired consistency. Add food colouring until you reach a pumpkin color you like.

Spread the frosting on the cupcakes using an offset spatula.

Break the large pretzel sticks into 3-4 pieces, insert one piece in the center of each cupcake.

Add a jelly bean (or half a jelly bean) for a small “vine” garnish.

Makes 24 pumpkin cupcakes, so it’s the perfect recipe for parties!

These cute pumpkin cupcakes were a total hit at our recent fall get-together with friends, and were no stress when making with the kids beforehand. A definite “win” in the kid’s recipe department.