Jack-O-Lantern Cupcake Recipe

Finding ways to decorate cupcakes for every season or holiday can be a great way to be creative. As Halloween approaches, what child or grown up wouldn't love to bite into a jack o lantern cupcake? Here are two simple ways to create jack o lantern cupcakes for your holiday celebration or just for a special Halloween treat.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups of confectioners sugar
• 1/2 cup of softened butter
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla
• 5-6 Tablespoons of milk

Directions:

Blend all ingredients together until they are mixed thoroughly. Then spread on the top of your cake or cupcakes.

This is a very simple cupcake recipe that is sure to meet all of your cupcake needs.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup softened butter

2 cups flour

1 cup sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg

3/4 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Sift together all dry ingredients in a bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, add the shortening and blend the dry ingredients into the shortening bowl.
4. Add the egg, vanilla, and milk and mix completely.
5. Fill the cupcake tin with liners and then fill the liners with the batter until they are about halfway full.
6. Bake for 12-15 minutes.
7. Allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.

Your cupcakes are all made and ready to be decorated. You can purchase orange frosting or you can use the simple butter cream frosting recipe to the right and add food coloring.

Ingredients Needed:

• orange frosting
• orange sprinkles
• green twizzler candy
• black decorating sugar sheets

Directions:

1. Generously frost the cupcakes with the orange frosting. Roll the top in orange sprinkles.
2. Add the green twizzler (cut into a one inch piece) to the edge of the cupcake.
3. Use black frosting or the black decorating sheets to add the jack o lantern face.

Serve to your hungry guests!

**You can use any flavor cupcake or cupcake recipe for this design. You can even use a box mix if you prefer the ease of that.

Here is another variation to a jack o lantern cupcake. Instead of creating an actual cake, create a cake with cupcakes. The cupcake cake makes serving easy and you will get rave reviews from your guests!

Directions:

1. Arrange the cupcakes in the shape of a pumpkin, including the stem.
2. Use the orange frosting to generously frost the pumpkin part of the 'cake' and the green to frost the stem. Be sure that you spread the frosting evenly to make it look like it is one continuous cake and not cupcakes.
3. Use orange and green sprinkles to spread over the orange and green frosted portions of the cupcakes.
4. Cut out the face shapes from the black sugar sheets. Place the shapes over the pumpkin to create the jack o lantern.
5. Serve to your guests and watch their eyes light up in amazement!