Candy Corn Cupcakes
These candy corn cupcakes check every box—easy, colorful, seasonal, and guaranteed to spark smiles the moment you bring them out.
Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
- Measuring Cups & Spoons
- Cupcake Pan + Liners
- Spatula
- Piping Bag + Tip
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup whole milk
- Food coloring yellow + orange
For the Frosting:
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 3 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 2 –3 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Candy corn for topping
Instructions
Preheat & Prep
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
- Set out the butter, eggs, and milk so they’re comfortably at room temperature—this helps everything mix smoothly.
- Pro Tip: Room-temp butter should give slightly when pressed, not squish like melted butter. Creaming works best at this stage!
Combine the Dry Ingredients
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt until well combined.
- Set aside; you’ll add this in stages so the batter stays tender.
Cream the Butter & Sugar
- In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and granulated sugar on medium-high until the mixture looks pale and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
- Scrape down the bowl to catch any butter hiding on the sides.
- Pro Tip: Proper creaming traps air—this is what gives you that soft, bakery-style crumb in your candy corn cupcakes.
Add Eggs & Vanilla
- Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Mix in vanilla extract until the batter looks silky and cohesive.
- Pro Tip: If the mixture looks a bit curdled, don’t panic—it’ll smooth out once the dry ingredients go in.
Alternate Dry Ingredients & Milk
- Add half of the dry mixture to the bowl; mix on low just until combined.
- Pour in all the milk; mix again on low until incorporated.
- Finish with the remaining dry mixture, mixing only until the flour disappears.
- Pro Tip: Stop mixing as soon as you don’t see streaks of flour. Overmixing = dense cupcakes, and we want light, festive bites for your simple Halloween cupcakes.
Divide & Color the Batter
- Split the batter evenly into three bowls.
- Tint one bowl yellow, one orange, and leave one plain/white. Use gel food coloring so the batter doesn’t thin out.
- Stir each color gently until the shade is even.
- Pro Tip: Go a shade brighter than you think—colors soften slightly as they bake, especially in fall candy corn cupcakes.
Layer the Colors in the Liners
- Spoon a heaping tablespoon of yellow batter into each liner and gently nudge it to the edges.
- Add orange batter on top, smoothing lightly to cover the yellow.
- Finish with the white batter. Aim to fill liners about ⅔ full total.
- Pro Tip: Don’t press or swirl; layering gives that clean candy-corn stripe. A quick tap of the pan on the counter helps the layers settle without mixing.
Bake
- Bake for 16–19 minutes, until the centers spring back lightly and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Pro Tip: If the tops are browning but still underbaked, your oven runs hot—tent lightly with foil for the last few minutes.
Make the Vanilla Buttercream
- Beat softened butter on medium-high for 2 minutes until creamy.
- Add powdered sugar in 2–3 additions on low, then increase speed to whip until fluffy.
- Mix in vanilla and 2 tablespoons cream (or milk). If needed, add an extra splash of cream for a softer, pipeable texture.
- Pro Tip: Sift the powdered sugar for ultra-smooth, bakery-style frosting—totally worth the extra minute.
Frost & Decorate
- Fit a piping bag with a large round or star tip and fill with frosting.
- Pipe generous swirls on fully cooled cupcakes.
- Top each with a single candy corn (or a few mini ones) for instant Halloween themed cupcakes.
- Pro Tip: For a fun twist on fall themed cupcakes, make a quick two-tone swirl by streaking a line of orange gel inside the piping bag before adding the frosting.
Serve & Store
- Serve on a festive tray for party-ready thanksgiving cake ideas or pop them on the porch for neighborhood get-togethers.
- Store leftovers covered at room temperature for 1–2 days, or refrigerate up to 5 days. Bring to room temp before serving for the best texture.
Notes
Nutritional Value (per cupcake, approximate):
- Calories: 250–280 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Sugar: 22g
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Protein: 3g
- Fiber: 0–1g