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If you only need one Halloween dessert, let it be these candy Corn Cupcakes! Not only are they eye-catching, but they are ridiculously delicious too! They look classic on the outside but the real surprise is on the inside.
A super soft, slightly sweet cornmeal cupcake is layered with yellow and orange batter to mimic iconic candy corn colors before it’s topped with a white, fluffy marshmallow buttercream. The icing is the perfect creamy, cloud-like topping for the cornmeal cupcake base and adds a confection-like flavor that makes the cupcake taste surprisingly similar to the candy corn candies. Each cupcake is garnished with a piece of candy corn before serving.
If you’re looking for a bite-sized sweet for your next fall party, make these and call it a day! They’re festive without requiring too much decorating but still give that wow factor – in both flavor and surprise. Bring them to a Halloween party, fall gathering or spooky movie party with friends. People will be sure to stop and ask how you made them!
Why You’ll Love These Candy Corn Cupcakes
- Simple but festive! These candy corn cupcakes are the perfect sweet if you want to make something festive without an all-day decorating project. The fun is in the dyed cake batter layers, white frosting, and the simply garnished cupcake tops.
- Soft and fluffy cornmeal cake. We use a combination of all-purpose flour and cornmeal in these cupcakes to keep them moist while also adding some corn flavor.
- The marshmallow buttercream is a moment! Marshmallow fluff is whipped into homemade buttercream icing to make a delicious whipped frosting that is meant to emulate the confectionery flavor of candy corn. Warning: you may be eating it by the spoonfuls!
Ingredients You’ll Need
cornmeal cupcake batter
- All-purpose flour
- Cornmeal
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Unsalted butter
- Sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Buttermilk
- Yellow and Orange food coloring
marshmallow buttercream frosting
- Marshmallow creme
- Cream cheese
- Unsalted butter
- Salt
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Candy Corn Candies (for topping)
How to Make These Candy Corn Cupcakes, Step by Step
Step 1. Preheat oven and prep cupcake tins.
Start by preheating the oven to 325°F before you make the batter. That way, by the time you’ve blended the batter, the cupcakes can go straight into the oven.
Line a cupcake tin with cupcake liners and set them to the side. If you don’t have cupcake liners, grease each cupcake tin with butter or nonstick cooking spray. Make sure to get in the corners so that you can easily remove the cupcakes without the edges sticking to the pan.
Step 2. Make cornmeal cupcake batter, divide batter in half, and mix in yellow and orange food coloring.
Start by whisking the dry ingredients in a medium bowl. The dry ingredients consist of all-purpose flour, cornmeal, salt, and baking powder. Stir them until they are evenly mixed, and set the bowl to the side.
Next, mix your wet ingredients in a large bowl with a hand mixer, or in the bowl of an electric stand mixer. Cream butter on medium-high speed until it is creamy and fluffy. Beat the sugar into the butter before adding in eggs and vanilla extract.
Once the wet mixture is evenly blended, alternate adding in buttermilk and the dry flour mixture. Start by slowly adding in half the flour mixture; blend until just combined before adding in half of the buttermilk. Scrape any excess flour on the edges and repeat this one more time until all of the flour and buttermilk are evenly blended into the batter.
Be careful not to overmix the batter. This method helps to evenly and gently blend the batter together without overmixing.
Lastly, split the cupcake batter in half into two separate bowls. You can use food coloring or color gels to dye the cupcake batter. Stir yellow food coloring into one bowl and orange food coloring into the other batter bowl until you have yellow and orange batter.
Tip: Using a blend of cornmeal and all-purpose flour helps to add a corn flavor and still keep the texture of the cake nice and soft.
Step 3. Layer the cupcakes in the tins, bake and let them cool completely.
When you are making the cupcake layers, mimic the bottom two layers in the candy corn candies. Start by adding a small scoop of yellow batter into each tin before topping with a scoop of orange batter.
When all the tins are filled, bake the cupcakes in the oven for about 20 minutes. When they are cooked through, remove them from the oven and let them cool completely on a wire rack.
Step 4. Make Marshmallow Fluff Buttercream and decorate cupcakes.
While the cupcakes are cooling, make the marshmallow buttercream. In an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and butter until it looks light and fluffy. Mix in vanilla extract, salt and powdered sugar until fully blended.
Use a spatula to fold in one jar of marshmallow fluff into the buttercream. Once it is evenly blended and the cupcakes are cooled, it’s time to decorate the cupcakes.
Add a dollop of icing to the top of each cupcake. Use a knife or an icing spatula to spread the icing over the top of each cupcake. Garnish each one with a piece of candy corn to finish.
Tips for Making Candy Corn Cupcakes
- Use unsalted butter. This way, you have more control over the flavor of the cake. Don’t overmix the batter. Overtaxing the batter can overwork the gluten in the cake, resulting in a tougher texture. One reason you alternate mixing in flour and buttermilk into the cake is to evenly mix the batter without overmixing.
- Use room temperature butter and eggs. Room temperature eggs are going to blend better into the batter, making it smoother.
- Make frosting right before you’re ready to frost the cupcakes. That way, the frosting is the right consistency and fresh!
- Add candy corn right before serving. The candy corn can soften as it sits on the cupcakes. If you’re making these ahead of time, wait to garnish the cupcakes with candy corn until closer to serving so that it stays fresh.
Recipe FAQ
The best way to know the cupcakes are done
Test doneness with a toothpick or fork. Stick the toothpick in the center of the cupcake. If the toothpick comes out clean, the cake is done. If there is batter on the toothpick, let it cook for a little longer until you can remove it cleanly.
Storing leftover Candy Corn Cupcakes
Store frosted cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Let them sit at room temperature for at least 10 minutes before serving so that the frosting can soften.
More yummy bakes to try next:
Candy Corn Cupcakes
- Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Description
Looking for a fun Halloween cupcake recipe? These candy corn cupcakes feature light, fluffy cornmeal cupcakes topped with creamy marshmallow buttercream and candy corn for an easy, festive fall dessert.
Ingredients
Cornmeal Cupcake Batter
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup of cornmeal
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 2/3 cup buttermilk
- 2–3 drops of yellow and orange food coloring
Marshmallow Buttercream Frosting
- 7 oz jar marshmallow creme
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- Candy Corn Candies (for topping)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325ºF. Line muffin tin with muffin liners.
- In a medium bowl. Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and cornmeal. Set aside.
- In an electric stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream butter on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add in sugar and mix until combined.
- Next, add in eggs one at a time, blending on medium-low until just blended in. Add vanilla and mix to incorporate.
- Slowly add in half the flour mixture. Mix on medium-low speed until combined. Add in half of the buttermilk and mix. Add in the last half of the flour mixture, then the remaining buttermilk. Mix until just combined. Scrape any excess flour on edges and blend in. Be careful not to overmix the batter.
- Scoop batter into lined muffin tins. Make sure to fill 3/4 of the tin. The batter should evenly divide into 12 cupcake wells. Bake for 18-22 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely while you make the frosting.
- Make marshmallow buttercream. In an electric mixer with paddle attachment, whip cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Add in vanilla and salt and mix until combined. Mix in powdered sugar until fully incorporated. Use a spatula to fold in 1 jar of marshmallow fluff until it’s evenly incorporated.
- Add a large dollop of frosting on top of each cupcake. Using an icing spatula or butter knife, spread icing over the top of each cupcake. Garnish with a piece of candy corn and repeat the decorating for the rest of the cupcakes.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cool Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
