Pumpkin Cupcake

Stalk

To make the stalk melt the chocolate in a microwave for 20 seconds at a time, mixing each time until smooth. This next bit is a bit funny. You’re going to let it semi set. This can vary in time, depending on how warm or cool it is where you are. The chocolate should be set enough that you can take a little piece and roll it in a ball. Yes. It will begin to melt in your hands so you need to work quickly. Place the small ball of pliable chocolate onto a flat work surface and use your index finger to spread out the bottom of the ball. Then shape the top into a stalk. Use a tooth pick to add lines to the stalks before you pop them in the fridge.

Cupcakes

Preheat a fan-forced oven to 140°C (275°F) or a conventional oven to 160°C (320°F). Line a cupcake tin with brown cupcake liners.

Add the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt to a large mixing bowl. Mix on low speed with a hand mixer until combined.

Next, add the softened butter and continue mixing on low speed until the mixture reaches a crumbly, sand-like texture.

Add the eggs and milk and mix again on low speed until all the dry ingredients are incorporated. Scrape down the side of the bowl and mix for a final 20 seconds.

Fill each liner three-quarters of the way. Using an ice-cream scoop to transfer the batter to the cupcake liners makes this a quick and easy process, and ensures each liner contains exactly the same amount of batter and that the cupcakes will bake evenly. Bake for 40–50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre of a cupcake comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.

Pumpkin Frosting

To prepare the orange buttercream frosting, add orange food gel and mix until well combined.

Pumpkin Cakes

To make the pumpkin cakes you’ll need a silicone half sphere mold measuring 5cm in diameter.

Preheat a fan-forced oven to 140°C (275°F) or a conventional oven to 160°C (320°F).

Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, pumpkin spice and salt to a large mixing bowl and mix with a hand mixer until well combined.

Next, add the softened butter and mix on low speed until the mixture reaches a crumbly, sand-like texture.

Add the eggs, milk, oil, orange food gel, pumpkin pie filling and vanilla, and mix on low speed until all the dry ingredients are incorporated. Scrape down the side of the bowl and mix for a final 20 seconds. It’s at this point that you can add any flavourings or food-gel colourings to the batter.

Fill half silicone mold three-quarters of the way. Using an ice-cream scoop to transfer the batter to the half silicone molds makes this a quick and easy process, and ensures each liner contains exactly the same amount of batter and that the cakes will bake evenly. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a cupcake comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.

To finish off the pumpkins, simply cut each cake in half and add a layer of orange frosting in the middle before sandwiching with the top of the half sphere cakes. Add a layer of frosting around the cakes and use the end of a small offset spatula to go from top to bottom vertically, to create the lined look of the pumpkins. Set the pumpkins aside in the fridge to chill completely.

To finish the pumpkins, add a small dab og melted chocolate on top and place the stalks on top. Allow to set.

Leaf Frosting

To prepare the leaf buttercream, split the frosting into 4 mixing bowl and use the colour formulas to colour the frosting.

To finish the cupcakes, add a small dab of frosting on top of each cupcake. This will help the pumpkins stick to the cupcakes.

To add the vines on the pumpkin, fit the end of a piping bag with a Small round 2 piping tip and pipe green frosting in squiggly lines on top of the pumpkins.

To add the red leaves, fit the end of a piping bag with a small French star tip and pipe random bits of red frosting on the bottom of the pumpkins.

To add the yellow leaves, fit the end of a piping bag with a small closed star tip and pipe little leaves on the bottom of each pumpkin.

To add the green leaves, fit the end of a piping bag with a small leaf tip and pipe little leaves on the bottom of each pumpkin and on the base of the stalk.