Halloween Jack-o-Lantern Pumpkin Cupcakes is a modern British recipe for a classic cupcake with sweetened pumpkin puree incorporated in the batter that's finished with orange icing (frosting) and decorated with a Jack-o-Lantern in black icing. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Halloween Jack-o-Lantern Pumpkin Cupcakes.
(click this button to prevent the screen from sleeping so Cook Mode is 'ON')
This is a new recipe for Halloween cupcakes made with sweetened mashed pumpkin in the batter that's decorated with orange and black frosting to give a Jack-o-Lantern face.
Ingredients:
250g pumpkin flesh, diced
3 tbsp caster sugar
finely-grated zest of 1/2 lemon
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tsp vanilla extract
150g butter, softened
150g golden caster sugar (or light brown sugar)
140g self-raising flour
2 tbsp cornstarch (cornflour)
1 tsp baking powder
3 eggs
1 tsp ground cinnamon
pinch of ground cloves
For the Decoration:
orange icing
black icing
Method:
Combine the pumpkin in a saucepan with the caster sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for about 15 minutes, or until the pumpkin is soft. Drain off any excess liquid then mash with a fork until smooth. Work in the vanilla extract and set the sweet pumpkin purée aside until completely cold.
In the meantime, combine the butter and golden caster sugar in a bowl and use an electric whisk to cream them together until pale and fluffy.
In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cornflour (cornstarch), cinnamon, ground cloves and baking powder. Now add 1 egg to the butter and sugar mix along with 1/3 of the flour blend. Beat this mixture until just combined then add the next egg and 1/2 the remaining flour mix. Beat again then add the remaining egg and the remaining flour mix. Stir the mixture until just combined then add the cold pumpkin purée and fold in gently, until thoroughly mixed through the batter.
Line 12 muffin tin wells with paper cases then divide the cake batter evenly between them. Transfer to an oven pre-heated to 160°C and bake for about 30 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and springy to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the centre emerges cleanly.
Remove the cupcakes from the oven and allow to cool in the tins for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
When the cupcakes have cooled, decorate them evenly with the orange frosting. Use black frosting to draw a pumpkin on the top of each and give this a Jack-o-Lantern face.
This is an excellent way of using up the flesh from the pumpkin you use to make a Jack-o-Lantern and the kids love these Halloween pumpkin cupcake treats.
