This week, I absolutely needed to make something using my mini-cupcake pan and Halloween-themed. It only seemed appropriate that this baked good be of the pumpkin variety, since it is pumpkin-mayhem time. And so the pumpkin ghost cupcakes were born!
I love pumpkin cakes because they’re so moist and flavorful, and nothing goes better with them than cream cheese frosting. Truly one of my favorite combinations that makes me so antsy for fall! Since cream cheese frosting is so conveniently white, I picked up some candy eyes from the grocery store (I got mine at Safeway) and added them. Another great thing about these cupcakes is how easy the decorations were! Although I do like baking-challenges, sometimes I don’t want to spend hours on the decorations. This was as easy as frosting and adding the already made eyes, and I think they look adorable.
Let the holiday baking begin!
In case you’re wondering where to get some of the supplies mentioned, here are the candy eyeballs that I used and the mini cupcake tin (WHICH IS THE MOST FUN BAKING TOOL EVER).
Get the Recipe:
Pumpkin Ghost Cupcakes
Ingredients
Cake:
- 1 12 oz can pumpkin
- 1 cups sugar
- 3 extra-large eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Frosting:
- 12 oz cream cheese, 1.5 8 oz packages, room temperature
- 1/4 cup butter, 1/2 stick, room temperature
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- Candy Eyes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease or line a mini-cupcake tin.
- In the bowl of your KitchenAid with the paddle attachment or in a mixing bowl, mix together the pumpkin, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and canola oil until well combined.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice in a separate bowl. Gradually add while mixing to the wet ingredients. Beat for two minutes, until batter is lighter in color.
- Spoon the batter into prepared cupcake tin, about 3/4 full for each cupcake.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the cake bounces back when poked.
- While the cupcakes are baking, prepare the frosting by beating the cream cheese and butter together until combined and fluffy with the whisk attachment. Add the vanilla and pumpkin pie spice and beat until combined. Add the powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time. Beat for an additional minute.
- When the cupcakes are done, remove to a cooling rack. They will cool quickly because they’re so small. When cool, frost with the cream cheese frosting and add the candy eyes so they look like ghosts.