pumpkin patch cupcakes
Cutie cakes with a rich black cocoa frosting. Spooky and spectacular!
Ingredients
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt, at room temperature
- 1 can pumpkin puree
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ginger
- 1/2 tsp cloves
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp kosher salt
dark chocolate buttercream
- 2 sticks butter, softened
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp cocoa powder
- 2 tsp black cocoa powder
- 5-6 cups powdered sugar
- 3-4 tbsp heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 12-cup muffin tins with parchment liners.
- In a large bowl, beat the oil, brown sugar, and sugar for 2-3 minutes until combined. Whip in the eggs, one at a time, then the vanilla, yogurt, and pumpkin puree. Add the flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix until combined, but do not overmix.
- Fill each cupcake tin 2/3 of the way with batter. Depending on what your heart says 2/3 of the way full is, you will get 22-24 cupcakes. Bake for 25-30 minutes until an inserted toothpick emerges with just a few moist crumbs. Cool 10 minutes in the pans, then transfer the cupcakes to wire racks. Cool completely.
- Make the frosting. Whip the butter and vanilla extract on medium speed until the butter turns pale and creamy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the cocoa, black cocoa, 5 cups of the powdered sugar, and 3 tablespoons of cream. Whip on medium speed until fluffy. You may need an extra tablespoon of two of cream to achieve the desired texture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, as needed, to properly incorporate all the ingredients.
- Pipe or frost each cupcake with the buttercream using your favorite piping tip. I like Wilton 1M!
Notes
*To store: Baked, unfrosted cupcakes will keep up to 3 days in the fridge, after which I would decorate and serve within 2 days. Finished cupcakes, then, will keep for up to 5 days in the fridge. They may get moist due to the oil and pumpkin content.