With Pumpkin Season in full swing, and Halloween just around the corner, these Pumpkin Buttercream Cupcakes with Chocolate Halloween Toppers is a great way to celebrate both! If you love cupcakes all year round, (and who doesn’t), try my Chocolate Cupcakes with Oreo Buttercream.
Pumpkin Buttercream Cupcakes with Chocolate Halloween Toppers
With Halloween right around the corner, there are never too many options for sweet treats! Plus, the treats have to have some sort of Halloween decore on them, right? Well, I have you covered in both departments–sweet and decorated! Pumpkin Buttercream Cupcakes with Chocolate Halloween Toppers are perfect to share at your Halloween parties! No tricks are involved here, just a perfect fall treat!
Pumpkin Buttercream Cupcakes with Chocolate Halloween Toppers Recipe
Pumpkin Buttercream Cupcakes with Chocolate Halloween Toppers really go back to my Chocolate Pumpkin Cake recipe. After that recipe, there were lots of requests for the cupcake form of the recipe. So, my delicious Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes were made. Then, it all progressed to a beautifully sweet pumpkin spice buttercream.
Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes Ingredients
- Buttermilk–Make your own buttermilk for this, and all your recipes that call for buttermilk!
- Canned pumpkin
- Flour
- Cocoa
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Butter
- Sugar
- Brown sugar
- Vanilla
- Eggs
Pumpkin Buttercream Ingredients
- Butter
- Shortening
- Pumpkin puree
- Cinnamon
- Powder sugar
- Milk
How to Make Pumpkin Buttercream Cupcakes with Chocolate Halloween Toppers
Before you begin to draw your spooky Halloween designs, preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare the cupcake batter to bake. Since this is really a matter of two recipes, the cupcakes and the pumpkin buttercream, I will break it down into two separate sets of directions.
How to Make Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes
Start by combining the buttermilk and pumpkin in a small bowl. In a medium-sized bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a mixer, beat the butter, sugars, and vanilla together, adding the eggs one at a time. Now, take turns adding the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture to the sugar mixture, starting and ending with the flour mixture. After mixing everything together for about a minute, take an ice cream scoop or a 1/4 cup to pour the batter into your prepared cupcake pan. Bake for 18-22 minutes.
How to Make Pumpkin Buttercream
While the cupcakes are baking, make the pumpkin buttercream. Be ready to taste this as you go! Once you start adding the powder sugar, take it one cup at a time. After each cup of powder sugar is added, taste it! After the second cup or so, you will probably want to start adding some milk until you get the desired consistency. Don’t taste it all, though. You do want some to put on your cupcakes!
How to Make the Chocolate Halloween Toppers
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. First, draw your design onto a piece of paper with a Sharpie or dark marker. Next, melt some chocolate in a pastry bag. Then, slip the paper behind a piece of parchment (or wax paper) and pipe melted chocolate over the drawing. Let sit for a couple of hours or pop them in the freezer for two minutes. Finally, place them on your cupcakes!
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! 🙂
Looking for More Cupcake Recipes?
Cupcakes are a favorite all year long, and I have plenty you can choose from!
Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes with Pie Crust Cutouts
Vanilla Cupcakes with Raspberry Filling and Cream Cheese Frosting
Pumpkin Buttercream Cupcakes with Chocolate Halloween Toppers
Ingredients
CHOCOLATE PUMPKIN CUPCAKES
- ½ cup (123 g) buttermilk
- 1 cup (245 g) canned pumpkin
- 1 ½ cups (188 g) flour
- ⅔ cup (79g) cocoa
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cup (170 g) softened butter
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (200 g) brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 4 large eggs
PUMPKIN BUTTERCREAM
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ¾ cup shortening
- 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 4 – 5 cups (500 g-625 g) powdered sugar
- ¼ -½ cup (61 g-123 g) milk
Instructions
CHOCOLATE PUMPKIN CUPCAKES
- Heat oven to 350°F.
- In a small bowl combine buttermilk and pumpkin. Just mix together until incorporated.
- In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a mixer, beat the butter, sugars, and vanilla together until light and fluffy.
- Add in eggs, one at a time, until fully incorporated.
- Alternating, add the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture to the sugar mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.
- Mix for 1 minute on low until fully combined.
- Using an ice cream scoop or ¼ cup measuring cup, place batter in prepared cupcake pan.
- Bake for 18-22 minutes. Cupcakes are done when an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
PUMPKIN BUTTERCREAM
- 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.
- Add milk in when you need too, probably after second cup of powder sugar.
- Add a little at first and then more as needed.
- Drop a scoop onto each cupcake, and top with your chocolate Halloween toppers!
Did you make this recipe?
Thank you for making my recipe! You took pictures, right? Well go ahead and post them on Instagram! Be sure to mention me @iambaker and use the hashtag #YouAreBaker.
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I recently asked some of you brilliant bakers about your favorite frostings… if you want to weigh in or just see all the decadent and delicious options shared, just visit the iambaker facebook page!
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!