Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes With Candy Acorn Decorations

As I mentioned in my Thanksgiving post, this year my mom requested pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheese icing for dessert. Not long after, I came across this recipe with super adorable acorn embellishments!

And here's how they came out! I really liked the pumpkin spice cupcake. I cut the powdered sugar a bit for the frosting, since I like to taste a little tang from the cream cheese. For the acorns, I couldn't find either of the store bought cookies recommended (mini Nila wafers or Nutter Butters) so I thought, "Oh, I'll just make some." So I made some baby snickerdoodle cookies!

If you're going to make these, set aside an afternoon. There's a few steps involved but I promise it's worth it!

First, we make cupcakes! They'll cool while you make the snickerdoodles and frosting.

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

Adapted from Java Cupcakes

Yield about 30 regular sized cupcakes

2 2/3 cups flour
2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves
2 cups pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
4 eggs

1. Preheat oven to 350 F and line 2 regular sized cupcake pans with cupcake papers.
2. Mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugars, oil, pumpkin puree and vanilla until smooth.
4. Beat the eggs in one at a time.
5. Slowly add the flour mixture and until just combined, but don't overmix.
6. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full and bake for 17-19 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
7. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes before removing to wire rack to cool completely.

Next it's baby brown sugar snickerdoodle time!

Mini Brown Sugar Snickerdoodle Cookies

Adapted from Sunset Cookies

Yield about 60 something mini snickerdoodles

For the cookies 
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
Mini chocolate chip cookies

For rolling 
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 tablespoon dark brown sugar

1. Preheat oven to 375 F. 
2. Combine flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt in a large bowl and set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter
4. Add the sugars and beat until creamy
5. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until combined
6. Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until combined
7. In a separate small bowl, combine the cinnamon, granulated sugar, and brown sugar.
8. Mix until combined. Use your fingers if you have to to break up the clumps of brown sugar
9. Roll the dough into balls a little under 1/2 inch wide. Then roll in the cinnamon and sugar mixture, and place on an ungreased cookie sheet at least 2 inches apart
10. Bake about 8 - 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Have the mini chocolate chips standing by for when the cookies come out of the oven.
11. Remove the cookie from the oven and immediately press a mini chocolate chip on the top of each for the stem. Tip: If you set it on the cookie, then press just a bit, the bottom will be melty enough to adhere to the cookie as they cool.
12. Let the cookies cool completely on baking sheets.

Now is a good time to unwrap your Hershey kisses.

Last is frosting, almost done!

Cream Cheese Frosting

Adapted from Java Cupcake

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
8oz cream cheese, room temperature
2 3/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract

1. In the bowl of your stand mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter together.
2. Slowly add the powdered sugar and beat until smooth.
3. Mix in the vanilla and cinnamon and beat until creamy.

Assemble! Frost your cupcakes. Dab a bit of frosting on the bottom of each Hershey kiss, and stick on a snickerdoodle. Top each cupcake with two acorns.

These are the first cupcakes that traveled in my new cupcake carrier!