I made some cupcakes for a friend and thought it might be a good time to try a new buttercream recipe!
So I hunted the internet and came upon this one from Sugarcrafter.net.
But then I only had 2 tbsp of butter in my fridge (which is pretty much the worst thing that can happen to me) so I had to modify it. Honesty, if you are going to make it I would start with Tracy’s beautiful recipe. Because even though I adore my silly adaptation of it, I have a feeling hers is Gold. Gold I tell you!
I started with these amazingly delicious chocolate pumpkin cupcakes.
Then progressed to a beautifully sweet pumpkin spice buttercream.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup shortening
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp pumpkin puree
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 - 1/2 cup milk
- 4 - 5 cups powder sugar
Instructions
- Cream together butter and shortening until well combined. (about 2-3 minutes)
- Add pumpkin puree and cinnamon and blend for 30 seconds.
- Start adding powder sugar, one cup at a time, until reach desired consistency and taste. (Yes, that means you need to be sampling it as you go. Lick that spoon girl!)
- Add milk in when you need too, probably after second cup of powder sugar.
- Add a little at first and then more as needed.
From here I wanted to add a fun seasonal embellishment… so I decided to throw some Halloween inspired chocolate treats on top!
These are SO easy.
Draw your design onto a piece of paper with a Sharpie or dark marker. Melt some chocolate in a pastry bag.
Slip the paper behind a piece of parchment (or wax paper) and pipe melted chocolate over the drawing.
Let sit for a couple hours or pop in the freezer for two minutes.
Then simply place on your cupcake!
Oh. I almost forgot.
When my official taste tester arrived home from work I asked him what he thought and he said, “Really sweet.” So then I added some Pink Sea Salt to the top of my cupcake and it was fantastic. If you happen to have any kosher salt or flaked sea salt on hand, I recommend trying a small amount and seeing what you think! 
*****
I recently asked some of you brilliant bakers about your favorite frosting’s… if you want to weigh in or just see all the decadent and delicious options shared, just visit the iambaker facebook page!
Darling! You’ve made me swoon once again!!!
I LOVE these Amanda! I’ve made cinnamon butter cream, but I think pumpkin butter cream must be heaven!!
Love the chocolate toppers too!
these look awesome, love the toppers. there is never enough chocolate! I too made chocolate pumpkin cupcakes this week too! Great minds
these look awesome, love the toppers. there is never enough chocolate! I too made chocolate pumpkin cupcakes this week too! Great minds
*Sigh* I only wish I could draw and pipe chocolate as well as you. Those toppers are perfection.
*Sigh* I only wish I could draw and pipe chocolate as well as you. Those toppers are perfection.
Love them! Id also love to eat one right about now
)
These look so cute!! And tasty : )
I love how the cake toppers turned out! SO adorable. I love, love, love them!
How delicious! I’m up for anything pumpkin (duh). Your embellishments are quite adorable!
How delicious! I’m up for anything pumpkin (duh). Your embellishments are quite adorable!
Anything with pumpkin has my name all over it! I can’t get enough of it. Love the chocolate toppers, Amy you always amaze me!
So clever!
I love pumpkin anything and I know the both of you are great bakers, so I’m going with anything from you two is pretty much the gold standard.
I just love these chocolate toppers – so easy and yet so GREAT! I will be doing this for every cupcake with the different theme according to the season – THANK YOU!
I love this toppers, its a great idea and they look so elegant.
Love those little chocolate shapes! It is amazing what can be done with 2 tablespoons of butter isn’t it?!
Love those little chocolate shapes! It is amazing what can be done with 2 tablespoons of butter isn’t it?!
Please share your Halloween toppers with us so that we can download. I can’t draw with a lick! Please don’t forget to tell us how to get the ghost inside the cake. I am anxious to make it next week for Halloween. Thanks
Yum, yum, and yum!
Those look and sound so great. I am so going to try the salt, we got some pink salt and I had no idea what to do with it until now.
The cat and web are my favorites! I can do without spiders on my food – they give me the heebie jeebies lol
The cat and web are my favorites! I can do without spiders on my food – they give me the heebie jeebies lol
Great job with the toppers! Halloween-y, but not too spooky:) because I am a wuss when it comes to spooky! I love love that frosting can be created in a million different flavors….including pumpkin!
Too creative and cute!! Whenever I see posts like this I truly miss having little boys… hmmm… may have to go and adopt some of the neighbors just so I can make these cupcakes!!
Too creative and cute!! Whenever I see posts like this I truly miss having little boys… hmmm… may have to go and adopt some of the neighbors just so I can make these cupcakes!!
*Really* sweet is fine by me. But I will try with sea salt too
*Really* sweet is fine by me. But I will try with sea salt too
WHAT?! You are a genius. Can’t wait to make these!!!
WHAT?! You are a genius. Can’t wait to make these!!!
I wish I could write with chocolate like that! I can hardly write my name, but Halloween decorations? WOW.
Cute idea! How do you get your chocolate to be smooth when decorating/writing with it? I’ve tried and had a hard time/a sore thumb and wrist.
you are so talented!!
What a great idea! I’ve used a similar technique to make spider webs, but never thought about other possible designs. Thanks for sharing! It’s brilliant!
YUM! I see some cinnamon rolls with pumpkin buttercream in my future!
Very cute cupcake adornments and the cupcakes themselves look and sound delicious.
I just made these. Instead of the toppers I put chocolate chips in them. I used Tracy’s buttercream with very little cinnamon in it. It was so good that my girlfriend, who is dieting, ate three! Thanks for sharing!
Amanda, these are such classy, elegant Halloween cupcakes! How did you pipe the frosting?
I wish you would do a tutorial on how to melt chocolate IN A PASTRY BAG. What size tip do you use? Cute idea. Thanks.
Wow, what a simple solution for DIY/ custom toppers!
Absolutely adorable! You are so clever! I’d screw those up totally.
These are adorable! Love the black cat
thank you for this nice post. This is something that I can involve my daughter (age 7) to do with me – she could easily make the chocolate toppers. Great fun + memories!!
Those piped chocolate decorations are SO clever – I never would have thought of that, even though it would be so expensive to buy that kind of thing. Would you use regular milk chocolate?
These designs are great, you found a very smart way of making chocolate toppers, thanks for sharing!!!
Delicious. Love the toppers too.
Delicious. Love the toppers too.
Looks so delicious, I will try them sometime.
You had me at pumpkin spice buttercream!!! Love love love pumpkin treats this year!!!!
i would never expect you to run out of butter–disaster of all disasters!
Adorable, adorable, adorable! I especially love the spiderwebs!!!
Okay, I made them last evening. I am not an especially good baker, as my husband will attest. When he tasted these, he was in disbelief. These are possibly the best cupcake I have ever tasted let alone made. The frosting with the cinnamon and pumpkin made it especially interesting! Great recipe! Thank you so much for making me appear to be a baker!
These look divine… And, the toppers are so adorable!
I love your handmade toppers, and they really seem easy to do. With Shelly’s comment above / rave
I’ll have to give the recipe a try too!
Your Magnolia swirl is pretty perfect!!
oh my those look so delicious! Their top turned out all flat and the white cream on top gives it an elegant touch. I love how you made the Halloween decoration!
That looks scrumptious!!. And, the toppers are so adorable!
Wow! I made these too a few days ago http://tanadeidolci.blogspot.it/2012/10/halloween-cupcakes.html
I think yours turned out better though!
These sound heavenly, but look spooky:)