Description
These Easy Candy Corn Cupcakes are a delightful Halloween treat featuring moist chocolate cupcakes topped with festive orange and yellow buttercream frosting. Perfect for celebrating the spooky season with a sweet twist, they combine rich cocoa flavor with creamy, colorful buttercream for a fun and delicious dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Cupcake Batter
- 1 cup (148g) flour (Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1)
- ½ cup (42g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- ⅔ cup (134g) sugar
- 4 tablespoons (57g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¼ cup (60ml) vegetable or canola oil
- 2 eggs
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup (120ml) milk of choice, room temperature
Buttercream Frosting
- 1 ½ cups (340g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 4 ½ cups (540g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 2-4 tablespoons heavy cream
- Orange gel food coloring
- Yellow gel food coloring
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a muffin tin with cupcake liners to get ready for baking.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined. Set aside.
- Cream wet ingredients: Using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the sugar, unsalted butter, and vegetable oil until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Add eggs and vanilla: Incorporate the eggs and vanilla extract into the butter mixture, beating well to combine.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients: Add the dry ingredients to the batter in thirds, alternating with milk. Begin and end with the dry ingredients, beating after each addition until just combined to avoid overmixing.
- Fill cupcake liners: Spoon the batter into the prepared cupcake liners, filling each a little over halfway full to allow room for rising.
- Bake: Bake the cupcakes in the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool cupcakes: Remove cupcakes from the oven and allow them to cool completely before frosting.
- Prepare buttercream: In a clean bowl, beat the cold, cubed unsalted butter until smooth. Gradually add sifted powdered sugar and beat until creamy. Add heavy cream 1 tablespoon at a time to reach desired consistency.
- Color buttercream: Divide the buttercream and tint portions with orange and yellow gel food coloring to mimic candy corn colors.
- Frost cupcakes: Use the colored buttercream to frost cupcakes in layers or swirls that resemble candy corn for a festive finish.
Notes
- These cupcakes are extra moist and rich due to the combination of butter and oil in the batter.
- Use gel food coloring for vibrant colors without altering frosting consistency.
- You can substitute milk with any preferred dairy or non-dairy option.
- Ensure cupcakes are completely cool before frosting to prevent melting the buttercream.
- This recipe yields 12 standard-sized cupcakes, perfect for parties or seasonal treats.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 565 kcal
- Sugar: 45g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 35g
- Saturated Fat: 18g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 62g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 75mg
