Cutest Decorated Pumpkin Patch Chocolate Cupcakes
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This recipe for our Cutest Decorated Pumpkin Patch Chocolate Cupcakes is the perfect way to celebrate the fall season. Not only are they incredibly fun to make, but they also taste absolutely delicious! Imagine biting into rich devil’s food chocolate cupcakes topped with cute orange buttercream pumpkins. They’re perfect party treats for Halloween, Thanksgiving, and all your fall gatherings!
Looking for more fall party desserts? Check out our Ultimate Pumpkin Bars, Pumpkin Oat Chocolate Chip Bars, Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars, and these Pumpkin White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies! These recipes are just the beginning of the fall treats you’ll find on the blog!
Why You’ll Love These Cutest Pumpkin Chocolate Cupcakes
Who doesn’t love the cozy warmth and comforting flavors of fall? These delectable desserts are the perfect way to add a little touch of Halloween to your everyday life. Imagine biting into a rich, chocolate cupcake and being greeted with a burst of orange buttercream pumpkins on top!
We couldn’t imagine a pumpkin patch more sincere than this one! With a batch of these adorable decorated pumpkin cupcakes, your party will be a darn gourd time!
We love chocolate cupcakes! These Ultimate Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes have the perfect amount of chocolate flavor in these sinfully delicious moist and light cupcakes, so they’re egg-free and dairy free!
And the frosting is a simple buttercream you can purchase to pipe your sweet little pumpkins on top, if you want a simple frosting shortcut. Or you can make our homemade orange buttercream frosting, and use food coloring for the frosting for the pumpkin body and the pumpkin leaves.
The pumpkins on top are easy to swirl on top, but if you’re feeling a little intimidated, just practice a little on some parchment paper. You can make your pumpkins as little or as big as you want! All you need is a steady hand for this awesome pumpkin patch cupcake recipe!
Ingredients You Need For Your Pumpkin Patch Cupcake Recipe
Chocolate Cupcakes recipe (vegan)
- 1 cup almond milk + 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- ⅓ cup canola oil
- ¾ cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon chocolate coffee or vanilla extract
- 1 cup all purpose flour or gluten free flour, like Bob’s Red Mill
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Homemade Orange Frosting for Pumpkins recipe
- 1 cup regular or vegan butter, room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar, add more if you want firmer frosting
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-2 tablespoons almond milk or orange juice
- Generous pinch of salt
- Orange gel color / food coloring
- Green gel color / food coloring
Or you can use this frosting already prepared
- Global Sugar Art Cake & Cupcake Buttercream Frosting, Decorator Icing Sunset Orange, Firm, 16 Ounces
- Global Sugar Art Cake & Cupcake Buttercream Frosting, Decorator Icing Leaf Green, Firm, 16 Ounces
- Miss Jones Baking Organic Buttercream Frosting, Perfect for Icing and Decorating, Vegan-Friendly: Vanilla
- Food Coloring AmeriColor Student – Kit 12 .75 Ounce Bottles Soft Gel Paste Colors
Instructions How to Make Cute Decorated Pumpkin Chocolate Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line prepared muffin tins with paper liners. Lightly spray with non stick cooking spray and set aside.
Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes
- In a measuring cup, stir almond milk and vinegar together. Set aside to curdle for 5-10 minutes.
- In a large bowl, using mixer, beat oil and sugar together. Mixture will be gritty.
- Add in extract of choice and mix.
- In a different bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients together until evenly mixed. Alternate mixing in wet and dry ingredients to the oil/sugar batter starting and ending with dry.
- Pour evenly into prepared muffin tins with paper liners, fill 3/4 of the way full and bake 15-18 minutes.
- Prepare frosting while cupcakes are cooling.
Orange Frosting for the pumpkin patch cupcake recipe
- Using mixer, in a large mixing bowl, mix together on low speed the butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract/orange juice and together. Gradually speed up mixer to medium-high and whip until frosting reaches desired consistency until light, fluffy and smooth, 1-2 minutes.
- Color most of the frosting with orange food coloring gel, save out about ½ cup, then color the remaining frosting and color it with green food coloring gel for the leaves.
- When the cupcakes are fully cool, place the orange frosting in a pastry bag with a large star tip and pipe an orange swirl, sort of representing a pumpkin on top of of each cupcakes. Break some pretzels up and make the stem and then place the green frosting in a pastry bag with a leaf tip or small round tip and pipe some green leaves on if desired.
Storing Cupcakes
- To keep your decorated pumpkin cupcakes fresh, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- If you need to keep them longer, place them in the refrigerator for up to a week. For best results, bring them to room temperature before serving.
Substitutions & Tips
- Vegan Substitutions: Use vegan butter and vegan-friendly powdered sugar to keep your frosting dairy-free. Also, ensure your food coloring is plant-based or naturally derived.
- Frosting Consistency: To soften firm frosting, microwave it for 5-second intervals, stirring in between. If it’s too runny, add more powdered sugar a little at a time until it thickens.
- Flavor Enhancements: Add a pinch of cinnamon or pumpkin spice to the batter or frosting for extra fall flavor. A dash of orange extract in the frosting can add a refreshing citrus note.
- Nut-Free Option: Substitute almond milk with oat milk or soy milk for a nut-free version. Verify that all other ingredients are nut-free as well.
- Decorating Tips: Practice piping on parchment paper to perfect your pumpkins and leaves, or use candy decorations if you prefer a simpler approach.
FAQ for Pumpkin Patch Cupcakes
1. Can I make these cupcakes gluten-free?
Absolutely! You can substitute all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend, such as Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour. Make sure to check that all other ingredients, like baking powder and powdered sugar, are also gluten-free.
2. How can I make the frosting vegan?
To make the frosting vegan, use vegan butter and ensure that the powdered sugar and food coloring you use are vegan-friendly. Many grocery stores offer these vegan options, or you can find them at specialty stores or online.
3. Can I make these cupcakes ahead of time?
Yes, you can bake the cupcakes a day or two in advance and store them in an airtight container at room temperature. You can also prepare the frosting ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to serve, simply decorate the cupcakes with the frosting and pretzel stems.
4. How do I store leftover cupcakes?
Store any leftover cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. If you need to keep them longer, place them in the refrigerator for up to a week. Let them come to room temperature before serving for the best taste and texture.
5. What can I use instead of a pastry bag to frost the cupcakes?
If you don’t have a pastry bag, you can use a plastic zip-top bag instead. Just fill the bag with frosting, seal it, and snip off one corner to pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes. This will allow you to create the pumpkin shape and leaves without special equipment!
Conclusion: A Fun and Festive Fall Treat!
These decorated pumpkin patch cupcakes are more than just a trendy treat – they’re a delicious and creative way to celebrate the autumn season. Perfect for festive decorations on a dessert platter or as a fun addition to any fall-themed party, these cupcakes offer a unique twist on traditional desserts.
You may enjoy these Caramel Apple Cupcakes too as well as these 30 Spell-Binding Halloween Party Desserts! Let’s party!
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More Delicious Fall Celebrating!
- White Chocolate Buttercream Frosted Cupcakes
- Boston Cream Cupcakes
- 3 Easy Halloween Cupcake Ideas
- Halloween Graveyard Dirt Cake
- Perfect Hershey’s Chocolate Cupcakes
- Ultimate Oreo Cupcakes
- Graveyard Mini Dirt Cakes
Cutest Decorated Pumpkin Patch Chocolate Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes:
- 1 cup almond milk + 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- ⅓ cup canola oil
- ¾ cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon chocolate, coffee, or vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour like Bob’s Red Mill
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
For the Homemade Orange Frosting:
- 1 cup vegan butter or regular butter room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar add more for firmer consistency
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-2 tablespoons almond milk or orange juice
- Generous pinch of salt
- Orange and green gel food coloring
Instructions
Prepare the Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a muffin tin with paper liners and lightly spray with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a measuring cup, combine almond milk and vinegar. Set aside for 5-10 minutes to curdle.
- In a large bowl, use a mixer to beat the oil and sugar together until gritty.
- Add your choice of extract (chocolate, coffee, or vanilla) and mix well.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt) until evenly mixed.
- Alternate adding the dry and wet ingredients to the oil/sugar mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.
- Pour the batter evenly into the prepared muffin tins, filling each liner about ¾ full.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let cupcakes cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
Prepare the Orange Frosting:
- In a large mixing bowl, use a mixer to blend together vegan butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and almond milk or orange juice. Start on low speed, gradually increasing to medium-high until the frosting is light, fluffy, and smooth (about 1-2 minutes).
- Color most of the frosting with orange food coloring gel, reserving about ½ cup. Color the reserved frosting with green food coloring gel for the leaves.
Decorate the Cupcakes:
- Once the cupcakes are fully cooled, place the orange frosting in a pastry bag with a large star tip. Pipe a swirl on top of each cupcake to resemble a pumpkin.
- Break some pretzel sticks into small pieces to create pumpkin stems. Insert them into the center of each frosted cupcake.
- Use the green frosting in a pastry bag with a leaf tip or small round tip to pipe leaves around the pumpkin stems for a finishing touch.
Notes
- Vegan Substitutions: To keep your frosting vegan, use vegan butter and vegan-friendly powdered sugar. Ensure the food coloring is also vegan.
- Frosting Consistency: If your frosting is too firm, soften it by microwaving it for 5 seconds at a time and stirring after each interval, or use a mixer to loosen it with a bit of almond milk.
Nutrition
Thank you dear! 🙂
Although autumn is still miles away (as for the temperatures) this one is a keeper !
Thank you Heidi!
These are such gorgeous Fall cupcakes! I loved your tip for using a ziploc if I don’t have a pastry bag on hand. I also loved your microwave hack for softening the frosting. Both were such brilliant ideas!