Pumpkin Patch Cupcakes

My kiddos were having friends over after school one Friday, so I decided to make some cupcakes for the occasion.  A quick trip to the store for some ingredients and I was home that morning (while it rained outside!) whipping up fun cupcakes (my house smelled so good while they baked!).  A few of them were sweet Pumpkin Patch Cupcakes and a few, had tombstones (for the two 8 year old boys in particular).  These festive and fun treats were a hit!  Happy (almost!) Halloween!

This recipe makes about 3 dozen cupcakes.

Shopping List
2 cups sugar
1½ cups vegetable oil
4 eggs
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
1 (15 oz) can of pumpkin
1 (8 oz) package of cream cheese, softened
2 cups of powdered sugar
a tablespoon or so of milk
1 (14 oz) bag of sweetened flaked coconut
green food coloring
candy pumpkins
Milano cookies (I used their seasonal Pumpkin Spice Milano Cookies)
black icing

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line 3 (12-count) muffin tins with cupcake liners.  Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, beat with an electric mixer the sugar, vegetable oil and eggs.  Set aside.

In a separate mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda, and pumpkin pie spice with a whisk.

Slowly beat the flour mixture into the sugar mixture.  Beat until just combined.  Next, beat in your pumpkin until just combined.

Divide batter between your muffin tins and bake cupcakes 14 to 16 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before frosting (I let mine cool on a wire rack after about 10 minutes of cooling in the muffin pan).

To make your frosting, beat your cream cheese, powdered sugar and milk with an electric mixer.  Add more milk if it’s too thick or more powdered sugar if it’s too thin.  Once it reaches the desired consistency, you’re ready to assemble.

I added my coconut into a bowl along with about 5 drops of green food coloring.  Toss together, and it’s green.

Take your black icing (if you want to make tombstones) and add RIP to the tops of your cookies.

Take each cupcake and add a little frosting, followed by some green coconut, a candy pumpkin and a cookie (if you like).

So. Much. Fun!

Rainy Fridays and Pumpkin Patch (or Graveyard) Cupcakes!

Enjoy!!