Halloween cupcakes

The great pumpkin cakes

Preparation: 50 min.

Bake: 15 min. + cooling

Yield: 12 Servings

Ingredients

• 1 package yellow cake mix or cake mix of your choice (regular size)

• 2 cans (16 ounces each) vanilla frosting, divided

• 1 to 1-1/2 teaspoons orange paste food coloring

• 12 green gumdrops

• 1/2 teaspoon green paste food coloring

Method

• Prepare and bake cupcakes according to package directions. Fill 24 greased muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350° for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

• For frosting, in a small bowl, combine 1-1/2 cans frosting; tint orange. Cut a thin slice off the top of each cupcake. Spread frosting on 12 cupcakes. Invert remaining cupcakes and place on top; frost top and sides.

• For stems, place one gumdrop on each pumpkin. Tint remaining frosting green. Cut a small hole in the corner of a pastry or plastic bag; insert #5 round tip and fill with a third of the green frosting. Pipe curly vines from pumpkin stems. Using green frosting and #352 leaf tip, pipe leaves randomly along the vines. Yield: 1 dozen.