Pumpkin Patch Cupcakes

Nutella mixed into the batter makes these extra-irresistible.

Ingredients

Cupcakes:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbs. ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1½ tsp. ground ginger
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. ground cloves
• 2 cups canned pumpkin
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 cup oil
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 8 Tbs. hazelnut-chocolate spread, such as Nutella

Frosting:

• 2 cups butter (1 lb.), at room temperature
• 6 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 2 Tbs. milk
• 1 Tbs. vanilla extract
• ½ tsp. leaf green concentrated food coloring
• 1 tsp. orange concentrated food coloring

Decorations:

• 12 Tootsie Roll candies
• 2 cups orange sprinkles
• 24 (3″) chocolate cookies, such as Archway Dutch Cocoa

Instructions

Make cupcakes:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 24 muffin cups with cupcake liners. In medium bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking powder, ginger, baking soda, salt and cloves. In large bowl, whisk together pumpkin, eggs, granulated and brown sugars, oil and vanilla; with spoon, stir in flour mixture until combined.
2. Evenly divide batter among muffin cups. Drop 1 tsp. Nutella in center of batter in each liner. With skewer or toothpick, lightly swirl Nutella into top of batter. Bake 22-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Transfer from pans to racks; cool.

Make frosting:

1. On medium speed, beat butter until light and fluffy. On low, gradually beat in confectioners’ sugar, then milk and vanilla. On medium, beat until fluffy.
2. Transfer 1½ cups to separate bowl; stir in green food coloring. Transfer green frosting to pastry bag fitted with coupler and leaf tip (such as Wilton #69). Stir orange food coloring into remaining frosting. Transfer ¾ cup orange frosting to pastry bag fitted with round tip (such as Wilton #3).

Assemble:

1. For stems, one at a time, microwave Tootsie Rolls on High 5-10 seconds until pliable. Divide in half; shape each piece into stem.
2. Remove liners from cupcakes. One at a time, insert fork into one end of cupcake; spread cupcake with frosting, then roll in sprinkles. Spread a dot of frosting on top of 1 cookie; place cupcake, topside up, onto cookie. Pipe orange frosting lines over cupcake. Attach stem to top. Pipe green frosting leaves around edge of cupcake. Replace leaf tip with small round tip; pipe on tendrils.