Witch Hat Halloween Cupcakes

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a cupcake tin with paper liners.
2. In a large bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, and salt. Whisk to combine.
3. In a separate bowl, mix the pumpkin puree, buttermilk, sour cream, orange blossom water, and vanilla.
4. In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
5. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
6. Alternate adding the dry ingredients and the wet mixture to the mixer, starting and ending with dry. Scrape down the bowl and beat until just combined.
7. Scrape the bowl again to ensure the pumpkin is fully incorporated.
8. Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners.
9. Bake for about 20 minutes, until the centers spring back when touched. Let cool completely.
10. Preheat the oven to 350°F again for the cookies.
11. In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and granulated sugar on medium-low until combined.
12. Add the egg and vanilla, mixing and scraping the sides.
13. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt.
14. Add the flour mixture to the mixer and mix on low until the dough comes together and sticks to the paddle.
15. Roll the dough between two sheets of parchment paper to about 1/4-inch thickness. Place on a baking sheet and refrigerate for 1 hour.
16. Use a medium round cookie cutter to cut out circles. Bake for 8-12 minutes, until set. Let cool.
17. For the buttercream, beat the room-temperature butter in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment for about 5 minutes until creamy.
18. Gradually beat in the sifted confectioners' sugar until smooth.
19. Add the vanilla and beat until fluffy. Divide the buttercream into two bowls.
20. Tint one portion black and the other green using food coloring.
21. Transfer the black buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a grass tip. Transfer some green buttercream to bags fitted with a 125 tip and a large round tip.
22. Melt the black candy melts in a microwave-safe bowl.
23. Dip each waffle ice cream cone into the melted candy to coat completely. Immediately roll in black sanding sugar, pressing gently to adhere. Work quickly as the candy sets fast.
24. Paint a small amount of candy melt around the rim of each cone and attach it to a cookie. Let set.
25. Paint candy melt over the exposed part of the cookie and sprinkle with black sanding sugar. Shake off excess.
26. Tint some fondant purple with food coloring. Roll it out and cut into 1/2-inch wide strips for hat bands.
27. Roll out white fondant and cut small squares for buckles. Brush the squares lightly with water, then press on gold leaf sheets. Pat gently to adhere.
28. Attach the purple band around the base of each cone. Add the gold buckle to the center of the band.
29. Pipe a large dollop of green buttercream onto each cupcake for the witch's head. Use the 125 tip to pipe a long nose. Add candy eyes.
30. Pipe bangs and hair using the green buttercream. Gently place the hat on top of the head.