Festive Candy Corn Cupcakes made with a homemade vanilla cupcake recipe and topped with colorful vanilla buttercream frosting. They’ll be the perfect holiday dessert to serve at any kid or adult Halloween party!
Cupcakes are a delicious dessert that can be eaten any time of the year. However, when topped with candy corn-inspired frosting – they are popular during the Fall season. This is because of the sweet flavor of the buttercream frosting that is tinted in all the fun fall colors.
One popular combination of ingredients is this fluffy vanilla cake with vanilla frosting. You could also make these with chocolate cake and top with the frosting to give it that iconic harvest candy corn look. The best part about these is that they are so simple to make!
What I love about these cupcakes is that not only are they great for Halloween – but you can really enjoy them throughout the whole fall season. So serve them after a day of visiting the pumpkin patch or at a Halloween party.
I’ll be making these again to serve as our dessert on Thanksgiving too for all those here that aren’t all that fond of pie. Candy corn is loved by everyone in our house – so making cute cupcakes inspired by it is just perfect.
candy corn cake
Here are some commonly asked questions
What is candy corn?
Candy corn is a popular type of hard, sugary candy that is shaped like kernels of corn.
Candy corn was invented in the 1880s by George Renninger, who worked for the Wunderlee Candy Company in Philadelphia. The company’s owner, William Wunderlee, wanted to produce a candy that was uniquely American for the 1876 Centennial International Exhibition in Philadelphia.
He asked Renninger to come up with an innovative new product and Renninger replied with what he called “American ears”. Renninger’s invention was made by pouring the sugar syrup into molds lined with honey and vanilla-flavored rice paper; the product name came from the resemblance of its shape to that of an ear of sweet corn.
What is the best way to store leftover candy corn cupcakes?
The most important thing is to keep them in an airtight container. I like to keep them refrigerated and then remove what we plan to have after dinner when I am serving dinner. This way they can come to room temperature while we have dinner and they are just perfect for dessert. They will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
How do I properly measure the flour?
The official way is to spoon the flour into the measuring cup & level off. This makes sure the flour isn’t packed tightly into your measuring cup, adding more than you need, as that will make your recipe too dry.
candy corn cakes
How to soften the butter to room temperature?
First
There are a couple of ways to do this. The first being that you can take the butter (& any other ingredients that need to be at room temperature) out, leave it on the counter for about 30 minutes while you prep for baking.
I usually start with all my chilled ingredients and pull everything I need out onto the counter before getting started – so I know for sure I have everything before I’m mid-way through I realize I’m out of something.
But sometimes it’s winter and that isn’t enough time to get the ingredients warmed up – OR – I’m just not that organized to plan ahead. It happens. So I have another couple of tricks.
Second
I place the butter in the microwave – wrapped in the paper. (don’t do this if it is wrapped in foil) Then I microwave for 2 seconds – flip – go another 2 seconds – flip again – and continue for 2 seconds on each side.
This is usually enough to get it perfect – sometimes stopping before if it feels soft enough. Take care when doing this method – overly softened butter from the microwave WILL ALTER the end result of the recipe. Don’t over-do it.
Third
My third method is to place the wrapped butter sticks in a zip-top bag and place it in a bowl of warm water. I do this with the eggs too. If the water isn’t too hot it can be THE PERFECT way to get “room-temperature” ingredients.
candy corn cupcake recipe
Ingredients for Candy Corn Cupcakes
- all-purpose flour
- granulated sugar
- baking powder
- vegetable oil
- whole milk
- large eggs
- pure vanilla extract
Vanilla Buttercream
- butter – softened
- pure vanilla extract
- confectioner’s sugar
- yellow food coloring
- orange food coloring
How to Make Candy Corn Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350F and grease 12 muffin tins or line with paper liners. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and baking powder.
- In another bowl, whisk together vegetable oil, milk, eggs, and vanilla.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry and whisk until no large lumps remain– you don’t want to over-mix or you’ll end up with dense cupcakes.
- Divide the batter between the prepared cupcake wells, filling each one about ¾ of the way full.
- Bake for 16 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove the cupcakes from the pan and allow them to cool on a wire rack and completely before frosting.
Don’t miss these adorable owl cupcakes for fall!
How to Make Candy Corn Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- Add the softened butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until it is smooth and creamy– about 1 minute.
- Add the vanilla and mix to combine.
- With the mixer on low, gradually add the confectioner’s sugar. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary to make sure all of the sugar gets incorporated.
- Turn the mixer to medium high speed and beat until the buttercream becomes light and fluffy– about 2 minutes.
- Divide the frosting in thirds and place one third of the icing in a piping bag fitted with a star tip (I used a Wilton 2A).
- Place another third of the frosting in a small bowl and add 2-3 drops of bright yellow food coloring. Mix to combine and transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a star tip.
- Add 2-3 drops of bright orange food coloring to the last third of frosting and mix to combine. Again, transfer the icing to a piping bag fitted with a star tip.
- Pipe a small ring of yellow frosting around the top of each cupcake. Then top the yellow with a slightly smaller circle of orange. Finally, top each cupcake with a peak of white frosting to create a triangle shape.
- Enjoy the cupcakes immediately or store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days.
Halloween Candy Corn Cupcakes
Notes for Making Candy Corn Cupcakes
- Flour is the base of our cupcakes– make sure to measure using the spoon and level method so you don’t add too much (which can cause your cupcakes to be too dry).
- Granulated sugar sweetens our cupcakes!
- Baking powder helps the cupcakes rise and become light and airy.
- Vegetable oil adds richness to the cupcakes and helps them stay fresher longer.
- Milk adds moisture and richness to the cupcakes.
- Eggs bind the cupcakes together.
- Vanilla enhances the sweetness of the cupcakes and makes them vanilla flavored!
- Butter is the base of our icing– make sure it’s fully softened so you don’t end up with lumps.
- Confectioner’s sugar sweetens the icing and helps give it structure so we can pipe it into the shape we want.
Why do the ingredients need to be at room temperature?
Room temperature ingredients help to ensure that everything blends together perfectly. You don’t want any pockets of unblended butter. You want everything evenly disbursed for the perfect texture.
When your dairy products are at room temperature, they can create an emulsion. It’s essential to have an emulsion because air gets trapped, so the baked goods expand and get fluffy as it bakes.
candy corn ideas
Can candy corn cupcakes be frozen?
Yes, I do it often. Once baked – these cupcakes can be frozen at all stages of the creation process. I like to remove the freshly baked and cooled cupcakes from the pan, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and freeze them for later use. (this is also handy when you want to work with cold cakes to keep the frosting from getting too soft.)
You can also gently wrap the completely decorated cupcakes and freeze them until you need them. Remember that the frosting won’t be completely firm and can still be dented if something gets pushed up against it while in the freezer.
Just make sure to thaw it in the fridge the night before as they do taste best when not frozen. I also like to leave them at room temperature for 1-2 hours before serving so the frosting is more creamy than stiff.
candy corn frosting
DON’T MISS THESE HOLIDAY E-BOOKS!
Products I love when making candy corn cupcakes…
This candy corn cupcake recipe is SUPER EASY and delicious – and if you’re like me this time of year, then you maybe already have some of these items on hand OR maybe you have never made homemade cupcakes before, & you might be a bit nervous – but you’re going to love them. I have made a list below of the things I absolutely can’t live without when it comes to making this cupcake recipe.
- all-purpose flour
- granulated sugar
- baking powder
- vegetable oil
- pure vanilla extract
- confectioner’s sugar
- electric yellow food coloring
- electric orange food coloring
- mixing bowls
- hand mixer
- mixer
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- cupcake pan
- cupcake liners
- piping bags
- piping tip
If you love this Easy Candy Corn Cupcakes recipe, you’re going to love these other holiday treats too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!
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Candy Corn Cupcakes
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup whole milk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Vanilla Buttercream
- ½ cup butter softened (1 stick)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups confectioner’s sugar
- yellow and orange food coloring
Instructions
Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350F and grease 12 muffin tins or line with paper liners. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and baking powder.
- In another bowl, whisk together vegetable oil, milk, eggs, and vanilla.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry and whisk until no large lumps remain– you don’t want to over-mix or you’ll end up with dense cupcakes.
- Divide the batter between the prepared cupcake wells, filling each one about ¾ of the way full.
- Bake for 16 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove the cupcakes from the pan and allow them to cool on a wire rack and completely before frosting.
Vanilla Buttercream
- Add the softened butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until it is smooth and creamy– about 1 minute.
- Add the vanilla and mix to combine.
- With the mixer on low, gradually add the confectioner's sugar. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary to make sure all of the sugar gets incorporated.
- Turn the mixer to medium high speed and beat until the buttercream becomes light and fluffy– about 2 minutes.
- Divide the frosting in thirds and place one third of the icing in a piping bag fitted with a star tip (I used a Wilton 2A).
- Place another third of the frosting in a small bowl and add 2-3 drops of bright yellow food coloring. Mix to combine and transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a star tip.
- Add 2-3 drops of bright orange food coloring to the last third of frosting and mix to combine. Again, transfer the icing to a piping bag fitted with a star tip.
- Pipe a small ring of yellow frosting around the top of each cupcake. Then top the yellow with a slightly smaller circle of orange. Finally, top each cupcake with a peak of white frosting to create a triangle shape.
- Enjoy the cupcakes immediately or store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days.
Notes
- Flour is the base of our cupcakes– make sure to measure using the spoon and level method so you don’t add too much (which can cause your cupcakes to be too dry).
- Granulated sugar sweetens our cupcakes!
- Baking powder helps the cupcakes rise and become light and airy.
- Vegetable oil adds richness to the cupcakes and helps them stay fresher longer.
- Milk adds moisture and richness to the cupcakes.
- Eggs bind the cupcakes together.
- Vanilla enhances the sweetness of the cupcakes and makes them vanilla flavored!
- Butter is the base of our icing– make sure it’s fully softened so you don’t end up with lumps.
- Confectioner’s sugar sweetens the icing and helps give it structure so we can pipe it into the shape we want.
Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate. Please double-check with your own dietary calculator for the best accuracy. We at Yummi Haus cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site.
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