Pumpkin Pecan Halloween Cupcakes - Recipe

for the cupcakes:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. allspice
1 1/4 cups icing/confectioners sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup milk
1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
1/2 cup chopped pecans

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. In a medium bowl, mix the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, beat the oil, eggs, and milk. Stir in the pumpkin puree. Combine the flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture, until just combined. Fold in the pecans until evenly dispersed. Spoon about 1/4 cup of batter into each well of a muffin tin. Bake for 18-22 minutes. Remove pan from the oven and cool for 30 minutes.

For the frosting:
1 small tub ready made vanilla frosting
orange food coloring
black shimmering sugar
black, white, orange rolled fondant
assorted halloween cookie cutters

2. Mix a few drops at a time of orange food coloring into your tub of white frosting and mix well until desired color is reached. Frost each cupcake with a knife or spatula. Sprinkle the top of each cupcake with black shimmering sugar. Dust the countertop with cornstarch or icing sugar. Roll out 1-2 ounces of each color of fondant until about 1/4 of an inch thick. Cut out some pumpkins, bats and ghosts using cookie cutters and lay the shapes on top of your cupcakes.

Makes approximately 6 cupcakes.