Pumpkin Cupcakes Recipe

Directions

1. Set your oven to 350°F and arrange 16 to 18 cupcake liners in two 12-cup muffin tins.
2. In a stand mixer bowl, combine the eggs with the granulated and brown sugars. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes.
3. Pour in the vegetable oil, hot water, and pumpkin puree. Mix until well blended, pausing to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
4. Reduce the mixer to its lowest setting, then carefully add the sifted flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Mix just until the dry ingredients are incorporated.
5. Using an ice cream scoop, divide the batter evenly among the liners, filling each about two-thirds full.
6. Bake for 16 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
7. Let the cupcakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
8. In the clean mixer bowl, beat the softened butter and a pinch of salt together on medium-low speed until smooth.
9. Turn the mixer to low and gradually add the confectioners' sugar in small additions. Once all the sugar is in, increase the speed to medium-high and beat until combined.
10. Add the heavy cream and vanilla extract, then mix until the buttercream is light and fluffy.
11. Divide the buttercream equally into three bowls, leaving one bowl uncolored.
12. Tint one bowl with sunflower food coloring and set it aside.
13. Color another bowl using both berry and sunflower food colorings to create a pumpkin shade.
14. To assemble, fit a piping bag with a round tip and pipe a wide ring of sunflower buttercream on top of each cupcake. Over that, pipe a ring of the pumpkin-colored buttercream using a round tip. Finish with a dollop of plain buttercream piped with a star tip on top.