Candy Cupcakes

Add a cute costume to your Halloween cupcakes! All it takes to make these candy corn cupcakes is a box of white cake mix, or classic white frosting recipe, and a bit of food coloring.

Candy Cupcakes
Photo: William Brinson
Prep Time:
1 hrs
Total Time:
1 hrs

Ingredients

  • 1 recipe Meringue Buttercream

  • Orange gel paste food coloring

  • 4 ounce semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled

  • 24 prepared chocolate cupcakes

  • 3 cup candy corn pieces

  • 6 cup malted milk balls

Meringue Buttercream

  • 5 large egg whites

  • 1 ¼ cup sugar

  • 2 cup (4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

  1. Tint half of the buttercream orange. Stir melted chocolate into the rest of the buttercream until incorporated.

  2. Use a 1/4-cup spring-loaded cookie scoop to place a small mound of buttercream on each of the cupcakes. (If you don't have a scoop, mound and smooth 1/4 cup buttercream on each cupcake.) Decorate the orange-frosted cupcakes with candy corn, placing the candy very close together. Use malted milk balls to decorate the chocolate-frosted cupcakes. Chill cupcakes in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Makes 24 cupcakes

Meringue Buttercream

  1. Whisk together egg whites and sugar in a heatproof mixing bowl over a pan of simmering water until sugar has dissolved, about 5 min. Test by rubbing the mixture between your fingers - you shouldn't feel any sugar crystals.

  2. Transfer bowl to a mixer with a whisk attachment or use a handheld mixer and beat on high until it cools and stiff peaks form, 10 to 12 min.

  3. Reduce speed to medium-high and add butter a few tablespoons at a time. (Buttercream may curdle but will become smooth as you continue to beat it.) Add vanilla.

  4. Use within a few hours or refrigerate for up to a week. Buttercream can be frozen for up to a month. Before using, bring to room temperature and beat on low until smooth.

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