Candy Corn Cupcakes

Cupcakes

• • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cupcake pan with paper liners and set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, add the butter. Beat using a hand mixer on medium speed until smooth.
  • Add the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Beat on low speed until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
  • Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition until it forms a dough-like consistency. Scrape down the sides of the bowl before adding each egg.

• Add the Greek yogurt, buttermilk, and vanilla extract to the mixture. Beat on medium speed until just combined.
• Divide the cupcake batter into two equal portions (about 2 cups each) in separate bowls.
• Add 3 to 5 drops of yellow gel food coloring to one bowl and mix until the batter turns yellow and has no streaks in it
• Add 3 to 5 drops of orange gel food coloring to the other bowl and mix until the batter turns orange and has no streaks in it.
• Using a 1 ½ tablespoon cookie scoop or a spoon, spoon 1 ½ tablespoons of the yellow batter into the bottom of each cupcake liner. Then add 1 ½ tablespoons of orange batter, spreading it evenly to cover the yellow batter. Each liner should be about ⅔ full.
• Place the cupcakes in the preheated oven and bake for 16 to 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of one of the cupcakes in the center of the pan comes out clean or with moist crumbs.
• Remove the cupcakes from the oven and let them cool in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Frosting

• In a large mixing bowl, add the butter and beat with a hand mixer on medium speed until creamy and smooth.
• Add the powdered sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed until the powdered sugar is combined. Turn hand mixer on medium/high speed and beat for an additional 30 seconds to 1 minute until the frosting is light and fluffy.
• Add the frosting to a disposable piping bag fitted with a large tip.
• Once the cupcakes have cooled completely, pipe swirls of frosting on top of each cupcake.
• Immediately add the yellow and orange sanding sugar, white sugar pearls, and a candy corn.
• Store in an airtight container at room temperature.