Halloween Cupcakes

I sold cupcakes at a Halloween fair this weekend, in Salt Lake City. Always fun to get to meet new people!

I made 7 varieties of fall-themed cupcakes. First, I made chocolate and vanilla cupcakes with whipped American buttercream, colored orange for fall, with fun Halloween sprinkles. Next, I did chocolate orange cupcakes with cream cheese frosting, topped with homemade candied orange peel. Then I did chocolate peppermint cupcakes with peppermint frosting and crushed peppermint candies. I also had chocolate cupcakes with salted caramel French buttercream, always popular. Then I made gingerbread cupcakes, filled them with apple pie filling and frosted them with cream cheese frosting. Last, I made cinnamon roll cupcakes with maple cream cheese frosting. Those were my most favorite of all. 

Cinnamon Roll Cupcakes

Makes 12

7 large egg yolks

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups cake flour

3/4 cups sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, soft

Whisk egg yolks, buttermilk, and vanilla together in a liquid measuring cup. In the bowl of your mixer with the flat beater attachment, add cake flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Mix on low 20-30 seconds to combine. Increase speed to medium and drop in butter one tablespoon at a time. Mix until butter pieces are as small as peas. Pour in two-thirds of the liquid mixture and increase speed to medium high. Beat just until it smooths out, 30-60 seconds. Reduce speed to low and add remaining liquid. Mix just until incorporated. Spoon batter into a 12-cup muffin tin lined with paper liners. Let the batter sit in the tin for 20 minutes while the oven preheats. Heat oven to 350. Place cupcakes on the middle rack and bake 15-20 minutes until the tops spring back when touched. Cool 5 minutes in the pan, then remove to cool completely.

Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, soft

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, cold

2 tablespoons 100% pure maple syrup

In the bowl of your mixer with the wire whip attachment, beat cream cheese on medium until smooth. Scrape down the bowl, add powdered sugar, and beat until smooth. Add whipping cream and beat on medium until incorporated, then increase speed to high and whip until soft peak consistency, 2 minutes. Add maple syrup and whip just until combined. Spread or pipe onto cooled cupcakes.