Description
These Easy Candy Corn Cupcakes are moist chocolate cupcakes topped with festive orange and yellow buttercream frosting, perfect for a fun and simple Halloween treat. Made with cocoa powder and a rich buttercream, these cupcakes combine classic flavors with seasonal colors to delight both kids and adults.
Ingredients
Scale
Cupcake Batter
- 1 cup (148g) flour (Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 recommended)
- 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 and yellow gel food coloring
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners to prepare for baking.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and fine salt until evenly combined. Set aside.
- Cream Butter, Oil, and Sugar: Using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the sugar, unsalted butter, and vegetable or canola oil together until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Add the eggs and vanilla extract to the butter mixture, beating well to incorporate fully.
- Alternate Dry and Wet Ingredients: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in three parts, alternating with the milk in two parts. Start and end with the dry ingredients. Beat between each addition until just combined and smooth.
- Fill Cupcake Liners and Bake: Spoon the batter into the prepared cupcake liners, filling each a little over halfway full. Bake in the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
- Cool Completely: Remove cupcakes from the oven and allow them to cool completely in the tin before frosting to avoid melting the buttercream.
- Prepare Buttercream Frosting: In a mixer, beat the cold cubed butter until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, continuing to beat. Add heavy cream a tablespoon at a time to reach desired frosting consistency.
- Color and Decorate: Divide the frosting and color portions orange and yellow using gel food coloring. Using piping bags, frost the cooled cupcakes with the colored buttercream to resemble candy corn colors and patterns for a festive look.
Notes
- These cupcakes are extra moist and perfect for Halloween celebrations, topped with seasonal colored buttercream to mimic candy corn.
- Use room temperature eggs and milk to ensure smooth batter and proper mixing.
- Beat the buttercream thoroughly for a light, fluffy texture before adding powdered sugar.
- Gel food coloring is preferred over liquid for vibrant colors without altering frosting consistency.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 565 kcal
- Sugar: 35 g
- Sodium: 120 mg
- Fat: 35 g
- Saturated Fat: 20 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 58 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
