Ingredients
For the cupcakes
- 2 tablespoons Sue Bee® Honey
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 sticks of butter, at room temperature
- 2 cups sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
- 1/3 cup hot water
For the white buttercream frosting
- 3 tablespoons Sue Bee® Honey
- 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 tablespoon of milk
- pinch of salt
For the chocolate buttercream frosting
- 3 tablespoons Sue Bee® Honey
- 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
- 1 1/3 cups powdered sugar
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 tablespoon of milk
For decorations
- 1 small bag of candy corn
- yellow M&M’s (amount will vary depending on amount of cupcakes)
- 1 bag of caramels
- green Dots candy
- candy-coated or chocolate-covered sunflower seeds
- Sixlets
Directions
For the cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350 F and line 2 standard cupcake pans with 12 paper baking cups each.
- Sift together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and salt on a sheet of wax or parchment paper; set aside.
- Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on medium speed until fluffy. Stop to add the sugar, then beat on medium until well incorporated.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing slowly after each addition. Mix in the pumpkin puree and honey.
- Reduce the speed to low. Add 1/3 of flour mixture to the butter mixture; gradually add 1/3 of the hot water, beating until well-incorporated.
- Add another third of flour mixture, followed by another third of the hot water; scrape the bowl as needed. Add the remaining flour mixture, followed by the remaining hot water and mix slowly until just combined.
- Fill cupcake papers until 2/3 full. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes (start checking at 20 minutes) or until toothpick comes out clean.
- Transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
For the frosting(s)
- Place all of the ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment; beat until well-combined and desired consistency is reached.
For the Thanksgiving dinner decorations
- Frost cupcakes with white buttercream frosting.
- For each turkey, unwrap three caramels; place on small piece of waxed paper and microwave on high for 5-7 seconds or until softened.
- Break off desired amount for the body, roll into an egg shape. Roll two smaller pieces into wings and two pieces into legs. Press onto body to attach.
- For leaves, roll out green Dots candies to 1/8-inch thickness; cut leaf shapes. Place a turkey on top of each cupcake; arrange leaves, sunflower kernels and Sixlets around turkeys.
For turkey decorations
- Pipe the white buttercream frosting onto the cupcake.
- Pipe the chocolate buttercream frosting in the center to create the turkey’s body.
- Place 5 pieces of candy corn to create the feathers and a yellow M&M on top of the chocolate buttercream for the face.
- Using an edible marker, carefully draw eyes on the yellow M&M.
- Using dyed frosting or an orange rainbow chip and a heart confetti sprinkle, create the beak and wattle of the turkey.