Celebrate the fall season with Pumpkin Patch Cupcakes. Chocolate cupcakes decorated with fall trees made of chocolate, leaf sprinkles, and pumpkins make this a festive autumn dessert. This seasonal cupcake recipe is a tasty treat for harvest parties and fun to make with kids.
Pair this cupcake recipe with our fall favorites, Pumpkin OREO Balls and Pumpkin Spice Lattes.
The autumn season always reminds me of taking my little ones to the pumpkin patch. They’re not so little anymore, but the memories are fun to look back on. Inspired by our favorite time of year, I created these pumpkin patch cupcakes for the kids.
Fall Cupcakes
This easy dessert recipe is made with chocolate cupcakes and a rich chocolate frosting, then decorated with chocolate trees, fallen leaves, and pumpkins. It’s everything I love about fall in one sweet treat.
Pumpkin icing decorations and fall trees represent our favorite things about autumn. The trees are piped with melted chocolate on parchment paper and decorated with colorful fall leaves sprinkles. Mellowcreme pumpkin candy or icing pumpkins are a finishing touch to our seasonal cupcakes.
We plan to enjoy a batch of pumpkin patch cupcakes while watching It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.
Ingredients
- Chocolate cake mix
- Chocolate frosting
- OREO Cookies
- Melting chocolate wafers or chocolate chips
- Autumn leaves sprinkles
- Mellowcreme pumpkin or icing decoration
How to make Autumn Pumpkin Patch Cupcakes [VIDEO TUTORIAL]
- Prepare chocolate cake mix according to package directions in a cupcake pan. Bake and cool completely.
- Meanwhile, pipe melted chocolate into tree shapes on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Decorate with leaf sprinkles. Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator to help the chocolate set quickly.
- Combine frosting ingredients in a stand mixer, then place in a piping bag. Pipe frosting on chocolate cupcakes.
- Decorate with trees, sprinkles, and pumpkins. Enjoy!
How to make chocolate trees
- Melt chocolate in a small bowl or cup, then transfer it into a piping bag.
- Place a piece of parchment or wax paper on a cold baking sheet. Freehand or use a tree template underneath the parchment paper.
- Pipe the chocolate into the shape of a tree, making sure it’s thick enough that it will stand on its own. Gently press autumn leaf sprinkles on the chocolate tree.
- Refrigerate for 10 minutes or until the chocolate has set.
- Carefully remove the chocolate tree from the paper and press it into the chocolate frosting.
More Fall Themed Desserts
Chocolate Pumpkin Patch Inspired Cupcakes
Ingredients
Chocolate Cupcakes
- 1 box chocolate cake mix
- ⅔ cup vegetable oil
- 1⅓ cups water
- 4 large eggs
Chocolate Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 3 cups confectioners sugar
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 tbsp milk or heavy cream
- 1½ tsp vanilla
- ¼ tsp salt
Cupcake Decorations
- 10 Oreo cookies crushed
- 1 cup chocolate chips or melting wafers
- pumpkin candy or icing decorations
- sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 and place cupcake liners in pan.
- Mix oil, water, eggs, and chocolate cupcake mix according to the package directions. Bake as directed, then move to a cooling rack.
- Beat unsalted butter in a stand mixer for 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add in confectioners sugar, cocoa powder, salt, vanilla, and milk until well combined.
- Crush Oreo cookies in a plastic bag using a rolling pin. Set cookie crumbs aside until ready to decorate.
- Melt chocolate chips or wafers for 30 seconds at a time in the microwave, stirring frequently. Transfer melted chocolate into a piping bag. Pipe chocolate into the shape of a tree on a lined baking sheet. Press the leaf sprinkles into the chocolate. Refrigerate until the chocolate is firm. Carefully peel the chocolate tree off the parchment paper.
- Pipe frosting on cupcakes. Decorate with Oreo cookie crumbs, chocolate tree, leaf sprinkles, and an icing pumpkin. Enjoy!