Pumpkin Cupcakes

BY RUTH CLEMENS

This spooky collection of pumpkin cupcakes is sure to impress your guests this Halloween. Experiment with black sugarpaste bats and piped cobwebs for a fun variation.

Time: 30 minutes

Difficulty: Easy peasy

You Will Need

One batch cupcakes baked in orange and black cases

White sugarpaste

White sugar florist paste (SFP)

Black, orange and green gel paste colours

Buttercream

Royal icing

Fluted circle cutter 5.5cm (2¹⁄₄in) diameter and ivy leaf cutter

Large open star piping nozzle

Disposable piping bag

1. Knead together equal amounts of white sugarpaste and SFP, and colour portions orange, green and black. Roll out black and orange pastes to 2mm (³⁄₃₂in) thick. Cut out three fluted circles from each colour and set aside to dry.

2. Make three pumpkins: roll a 2.5cm (1in) orange paste ball; flatten the base slightly. Use a cocktail stick to mark vertical lines on the sides.

3. Cut out three leaves from thinly rolled out green paste. Secure to the pumpkin tops with a dab of water. Make a hole in the top of the pumpkin through the leaf to insert the stalk rolled from a tiny green paste sausage with tapered end.

4. Secure each pumpkin to a black disc. Cut tendrils from long thin green paste strips wound around a cocktail stick and attach.

5. Fill a piping bag fitted with an large open star nozzle with buttercream and pipe swirls onto each cupcake. Place the cupcake toppers in position on top.