Halloween Pumpkin Patch Cupcakes - Pumpkin spice cupcakes topped with tiny marzipan pumpkins are an unexpected alternative (or addition) to pie for Thanksgiving, but these treats would also be welcome at a Halloween party or any other fall occasion.

MAKES 32

FOR CUPCAKES:
4 cups cake flour (not self-rising), sifted
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2½ cups packed light-brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1½ cups canned pumpkin puree (not pie filling)

FOR DECORATING:
Cream-Cheese Frosting
Marzipan Pumpkins (instructions follow)

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices.

2. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and brown sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk, and beating until just combined. Add pumpkin puree; beat until just combined.

3. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 10 minutes; turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely. Cupcakes can be refrigerated up to 3 days in airtight containers.

4. To finish, use an offset spatula to spread cupcakes with frosting. Top each with a marzipan pumpkin

MARZIPAN PUMPKINS:
You’ll need a total of 14 ounces of marzipan to make 32 pumpkins. Tint two thirds marzipan orange with gel-paste food color. Tint remaining marzipan green. Using a
small rolling pin, roll out green marzipan to about ? inch thick on a work surface lightly dusted with cornstarch; use a mini leaf cutter to cut out leaf shapes. With the palms of your hands, roll bits of orange and green marzipan together into small ropes; cut and shape into stems. Shape pieces of orange marzipan into ¾-inch balls. Use a toothpick to poke holes in tops of balls and press creases along outer edges from top to bottom. Attach leaves and stems to tops.

Halloween Pumpkin Patch Cupcakes