Mickey Mouse Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
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Do Halloween treats get any cuter than these adorable Mickey Mouse Pumpkin Cupcakes?! Topped with cream cheese frosting, toasted coconut, and a fondant Mickey pumpkin, they are as sweet to look at as they are to eat!
We love cooking with pumpkins on The Purple Pumpkin Blog (I mean, obvious right?!) And I’ve got lots more great Pumpkin Recipes for you to try – right-click and open a new tab so that you can read them after this one.
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Mickey Mouse Pumpkin Cupcakes
The full ingredients list and instructions are found in the printable recipe card at the end of this post. I highly recommend reading the blog post all the way through so that you don’t miss any tips or substitution suggestions, to ensure that you have all the ingredients and equipment required and understand the steps and timings involved.
These Mickey Mouse Pumpkin Cupcakes are the perfect treat to celebrate pumpkin season and your love of all things Disney!
There’s no denying the appeal of a pumpkin everything this time of year.
Whether you’re carving Jack-o’-lanterns, enjoying a pumpkin spice latte, or baking a loaf of pumpkin bread, there’s just something special about pumpkins.
These cupcakes are made with pumpkin puréee and pumpkin spices, and the delicious cream cheese frosting has a touch of cinnamon in it.
With lots of fall-colored sprinkles, and finished off with a fondant Mickey-head pumpkin sat atop a toasted coconut “pumpkin patch”, these cupcakes are fun and festive and perfect for this time of year – they’re sure to be a hit with kids and adults alike!
The Mickey Mouse pumpkins are made using fondant, which might look tricky, but it’s not as difficult as you might think.
If you’re an experienced cake maker you can probably jump straight to the recipe at the end of this post and get baking.
But if not, please read through the steps as I’ve got lots of tips and suggestions along the way.
The post is part of the Crafty October series on The Purple Pumpkin Blog and is filled with free printables, crafts, recipes, and more for Halloween! You can check out Crafty October from 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, and 2012 for tons of awesome Halloween ideas and inspiration!
Ingredients & Equipment Used In This Recipe
For your convenience, any specialized or notable ingredients and equipment needed to make these cupcakes have been listed below and linked to Amazon or other stores if available online. Standard ingredients such as flour or sugar are not listed, as you are likely to have those in your kitchen. The full list with measurements is found in the recipe card.
Cupcakes & Frosting Ingredients
- Dairy – Unsalted Butter, Buttermilk, Cream Cheese
- Other – Eggs
- White Sugar
- Canned Pumpkin Purée – NOT pumpkin pie filling
- All-Purpose Flour – also known as Plain Flour
- Pumpkin Pie Spice
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda – also known as Bicarbonate of Soda.
- Ground Cinnamon
- Ground Ginger
- Powdered Sugar – also known as Icing Sugar or Confectioners Sugar
- Pure Vanilla Extract – always buy good vanilla as it really does make a flavor difference.
- Shredded Coconut
Decorating Ingredients
- Orange Fondant – for making the pumpkins
- Black Fondant – for making Mickey’s ears
- Tube of Green Icing – for piping the vines and leaves on the pumpkins
- Fall Pumpkin Mix Sprinkles – but you can use any sprinkles that you like! Make a mix of your own with different single sprinkle types, or buy a ready-made mix. Whatever you use, you will want about 2 cups to decorate the cupcakes.
Cupcake Decorating Equipment
- Fondant Rolling Pin – these have a smooth surface and won’t leave a texture on your fondant when rolling out.
- Piping Bags – you can use disposable or reuseable, your choice.
- Leaf Piping Tip – such as Wilton #352
- Round #2 Tip
- Fondant Tools
Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog use both cup measurements and/or weighted measurements. American cups and kitchen food scales are handy pieces of equipment to have in your kitchen as it means you’ll be able to make all of the different recipes on my blog! I try to give American, imperial, and metric measurements in my recipes. You can mix cup measurements with weighted measurements, but never imperial (pounds, ounces, pints, etc.,) with metric (kilograms, grams, liters, etc.,).
Mickey Mouse Pumpkin Cupcake Recipe Tips
The Mickey pumpkins to decorate these cupcakes are made with fondant (also known as sugarpaste).
Fondant needs time to dry before using as cake decorations, so allow up to 24 hours to get the pieces made before making and decorating your cupcakes.
Fondant Tips
If you have never worked with fondant before, don’t panic – it is really easy to use, follow my tips and you’ll be just fine!
- Line a cookie sheet(s) or tray(s)with parchment paper or a non-stick baking mat to place the fondant pieces on to dry.
- Dust your work surface with powdered sugar (icing sugar/confectioner’s sugar) or cornstarch (cornflour) so that the fondant doesn’t stick. Think of it like the way you use flour when rolling dough.
- Rub a little powdered sugar/cornstarch into your hands and knead a handful of the fondant to make it more pliable before rolling, rather than using it straight from the package.
- Dust your rolling pin too, and roll fondant to about ¼” thick. Some fondant rolling pins have guides you can use. You don’t want it too thick as it will take ages to dry, and you don’t want it too thin as it will become more tricky to work with.
- Cutting the Ears: Pour a little pile of powdered sugar onto your surface and dip the end of the piping tip into it before cutting the ears – again, this is to prevent sticking.
- If there is excess powdered sugar on the pieces, you can gently brush away with a pastry brush, or an unused, clean paintbrush.
- Alternatively, you can use a vodka spray. Pour some vodka into a mini spray bottle and gently mist the fondant. Vodka dries quicker than water which is why it is usually used when handling fondant.
- Always make extra pieces – that way if some break or you have another mishap, you have got backups that you can use.
- Leave the completed fondant Mickey pumpkin to harden in a cool, dry place – do not place them in the fridge.
- The fondant pumpkin should be solid enough to handle and use on the cupcakes after 3 – 6 hours. I personally like to leave fondant pieces to dry for around 24 hours. How long this takes, however, is based on the size and thickness of the fondant, and how humid your house is, so you will need to judge if they will hold up as they need to on the cupcakes.
- When making cakes or cupcakes that use fondant decorations I like to make them a few days ahead of time which allows for drying without stress. Fondant that isn’t dry enough can mean disappointing end results.
- After using fondant the surface will be super sticky (it always is in my experience!) so you will probably have to wipe away the sugar first, then give it a soapy hot wash over, and then another clean over! You can always buy a fondant rolling mat for easier cleanup.
- Always keep fondant covered when making decorations to prevent it from drying out. And when you’ve finished, wrap up any remaining fondant very well – I double wrap it in plastic wrap and place it in an airtight container. This keeps it fresh and you are able to use it for future cake making.
Cupcake Making Tips
- Use your choice of cupcake liners – themed to the cupcakes, plain white or black, or a complimentary color.
- Use an ice cream scoop to equally divide the cupcake mixture between the cupcake liners. Fill them about three-quarters full.
- The cupcakes should be ready in about 20 minutes – test their doneness by inserting a toothpick into the cakes. It should come out clean when the cupcakes are cooked all the way through. Bake for an extra 2 minutes and check again.
- Cool the cupcakes in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
Cupcake Frosting Tips
- When making the frosting you want the end result to be creamy, smooth, and hold a stiff peak. You may have to adjust the amount of powdered sugar and cream slightly to achieve the consistency you need.
- These cupcakes are double-frosted, for the first layer, pipe a thick ring around the edge of the cupcake and dip it into a bowl of sprinkles to cover completely. Then a swirl of frosting is piped on top of the sprinkle layer. This swirl is covered with toasted coconut.
- SPRINKLES! Following the theme provided in the recipe, you can use any type you like such as nonpareils, jimmies, stars, confetti, pearls, or shapes – you’ll need about 2-3 cups of them in total to cover the cupcakes.
- Use a piping bag fitted with a large star tip to pipe the swirl on top of the sprinkle layer.
- If you feel like you are going to be making a lot of cakes and cupcakes in the future, I think it is worth investing in a set of piping tips so that you know you always have the right ones on hand for a recipe.
- Do not overfill the piping bag with frosting, and make sure you squeeze the frosting down the bag to expel any air bubbles.
- If you are not confident with your piping skills you can practice on some parchment paper first and scoop the frosting back into the bag to use on the cupcakes.
More Halloween Cupcake Recipes
Looking for more cupcakes to make? Check these recipes out next:
- Cute Bat Cupcakes
- Halloween Full Moon & Black Cat Cupcakes
- Conjure Up Hocus Pocus Cupcakes With a Book of Spells Brownie on Top!
How Do I Make Mickey Mouse Pumpkin Cupcakes?
Check out the printable recipe card below with full ingredients and instructions. Any demonstration photos do not print out to save your ink.
Mickey Mouse Pumpkin Cupcakes
Topped with cream cheese frosting, toasted coconut, and a fondant Mickey pumpkin, these Mickey Mouse Pumpkin Cupcakes are as sweet to look at as they are to eat!
Ingredients
For the Mickey Fondant Pumpkin
- Cornstarch (cornflour), for dusting
- 1 (8-oz/225g) orange fondant
- 1 (4-oz/100g) black fondant
- 1 tube of green icing*
For the Cupcakes
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2½ cups white sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temp
- 1 (15-oz/400g) can pumpkin purée
- 2⅓ cup all-purpose flour (plain flour)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)
- 1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¾ tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
For the Toasted Coconut Topping
- 1 cup shredded coconut
For the Frosting
- 1 (8-oz/225g) package of cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar (icing sugar)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2-3 cups Autumn/Fall sprinkles
Instructions
- To make a fondant Mickey Mouse Dust your hands with cornstarch and pinch off about 1 tablespoon of orange fondant. Roll the fondant into a ball
- Using a leaf modeling tool, make indented lines around the ball to create the shape of a pumpkin.
- Using a small bone modeling tool, make a hole in the middle of the pumpkin for the “stem” to be piped into.
- Repeat steps 1-3 to make 24 pumpkins total (and a few extras, just in case!).
- Use the green icing and a round (no. 2) tip, and pipe a tall stem into the hole in the top of the fondant pumpkin. Clean and dry the tip and set it aside for Mickey's ears.
- Use the green icing and a leaf tip (no. 352) tip, and pipe leaves on both sides of the stem.
- Sprinkle some cornstarch onto your work surface and roll out the black fondant to ¼-inch/0.5cm thick.
- To make Mickey's ears, use the wide end of the round tip to cut out 24 black circles (always make a few extras!).
- Cut a small half-moon out of the black circles. Apply a little water where you cut this out and stick to the sides of the pumpkin to finish your Mickey Mouse pumpkin. Repeat with all the fondant ears and pumpkins. Set the Mickey pumpkins in a cool, dry place (not the fridge) to dry for up to 24 hours for easier handling.
- To make the cupcakes, preheat the 350°F/180°C/Gas 4. Line cupcake pans with 24 cupcake liners and set them aside.
- Use an electric handheld or standing mixer to beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add one egg at a time, beating after each addition until all 3 eggs have been added.
- Stir in the pumpkin purée.
- Sift or whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, ginger, and salt into another bowl to combine.
- Roughly divide the dry mixture into fourths.
- Alternating with one-fourth of the dry mixture, followed by ¼ cup of buttermilk, beat into the bowl of wet ingredients until the flour mixture and buttermilk have been mixed in.
- Use an ice cream scoop to fill the cupcake liners about ¾ full.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
- Cool the cupcakes in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- To toast the coconut, place the shredded coconut into a large skillet and cook on low-medium heat, stirring often until the flakes start to turn a golden brown. Set aside to cool.
- To make the frosting, use an electric handheld or standing mixer to beat the cream cheese and butter until fluffy.
- Slowly add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon and continue to beat until the frosting is creamy and smooth.
- Place the frosting into a large piping bag fitted with a star tip and pipe a thick ring around the top of the cooked and cooled cupcakes.
- Pour the sprinkles into a small bowl and roll the frosted part of the cupcake in the bowl to cover the frosting as much as possible.
- Pipe a small swirl of frosting on top of the sprinkles and cover this with some cold toasted coconut (this is the haystack!)
- Finally, pipe a small blob of frosting under the fondant pumpkin and carefully place it on top of the coconut "haystack".
- Repeat with all of the cooked and cooled cupcakes. Enjoy and Happy Fall Y'all!
Notes
*Some tubes (or pouches) of ready-made icing come with piping tips to use the icing straight from the package. If yours doesn't you will need to transfer the icing to a piping bag fitted with a round no. 2 tip for the pumpkin stems, and a leaf piping tip such as no. 352 to pipe the leaves on the pumpkin. The wide end of the round tip will be used to make Mickey's ears.
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Make It A Meal!
You’ve made the dessert, but what about the rest of the courses?
Here are additional recipes to make a full meal for a dinner party or special occasion:
- Appetizer: Gluten-Free Baked Avocado Fries with Homemade Garlic Dipping Sauce
- Soup: Curried Butternut Squash Soup – Slow Cooker Recipe
- Salad: Strawberry Fennel Salad
- Main Dish: Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe – A Classic Indian Curry
- Side Dish: 6-Ingredient Honey-Roasted Curried Carrots Recipe
- Beverage: Wicked Witch Cocktail
There are 500+ Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog for you to enjoy – please feel free to check them out too!
The post is part of the Crafty October series on The Purple Pumpkin Blog. Check out Crafty October from 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, and 2012 for awesome Halloween ideas and inspiration; including recipes, printables, crafts, and more!