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Easy Mickey Mouse Pumpkin Cupcakes Recipe

Easy Mickey Mouse Pumpkin Cupcakes Recipe

Soft pumpkin-spice cupcakes made from a boxed cake mix are topped with orange vanilla frosting, mini chocolate sandwich cookie ears, and green pumpkin stems. This simple dessert makes about 24 festive cupcakes.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 24 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cupcakes
  • 1 15.25-ounce box Yellow or spice cake mix
  • 1 15-ounce can Plain pumpkin purée
  • 1/2 cup Water
  • 1/3 cup Neutral vegetable oil
  • 3 eggs Large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon Pumpkin-pie spice
  • 24 liners Paper cupcake liners
Frosting and Decorations
  • 2 16-ounce cans Vanilla frosting
  • As needed Orange gel food coloring
  • As needed Black decorating icing or black gel icing
  • As needed Green decorating icing or green fondant
  • 48 cookies Mini chocolate sandwich cookies
  • As needed Black fondant or black candy melts, optional

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two standard 12-cup muffin pans with paper liners.
  2. Add the cake mix, pumpkin purée, water, oil, eggs, and pumpkin-pie spice to a large bowl. Beat for 1–2 minutes, until the batter is smooth.
  3. Divide the batter evenly among the 24 liners, filling each about two-thirds full.
  4. Bake for 18–22 minutes, until the tops spring back lightly and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
  5. Cool the cupcakes in the pans for about 5 minutes, then transfer them to a rack and cool completely.
  6. Tint most of the vanilla frosting orange, then pipe or spread it over the cooled cupcakes.
  7. Chill the frosted cupcakes for 10–15 minutes, then insert two mini chocolate sandwich cookies near the top of each cupcake to form Mickey’s ears.
  8. Add a small green frosting or fondant stem. Use black icing for a jack-o’-lantern face or Mickey-inspired details, if desired.

Notes

Use plain pumpkin purée rather than pumpkin pie filling. Add the cookie ears shortly before serving or transport them separately because frosting moisture can eventually soften the cookies.