Autumn Leaf Cupcakes Recipes

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture., Divide dough into four portions; tint one red, one green, one orange and one yellow. Shape each into a disk; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate 30 minutes or until firm enough to roll., Preheat oven to 350°. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion of dough to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 3-in. leaf-shaped cookie cutter. Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets., Bake 14-17 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely., Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine confectioners' sugar, water, meringue powder and almond extract; beat on low speed just until blended. Pipe or drizzle on cookies as desired. Sprinkle with coarse sugar. Let stand until set. Store in an airtight container.

Steps:

• Frost cupcakes. Roll out gumdrops to 1/8-in. thickness; cut out with 1-in. to 1-1/2-in. leaf-shaped cookie cutters. Pile leaves on cupcakes as desired.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Place Reynolds Baking Cups in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups. Make and bake cake mix as directed on box for 24 cupcakes. Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, place 12-inch sheet of waxed paper on cookie sheet; mark an 8-inch square on waxed paper. Alternately place spoonfuls of melted chocolate and butterscotch on waxed paper. With small spatula, swirl together for marbled effect, spreading to an 8-inch square. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Remove from refrigerator; let stand about 10 minutes or until slightly softened. Use 1 1/2-inch leaf cookie cutter to make 24 leaf cutouts. Carefully remove cutouts from paper with spatula; place on another waxed paper-lined cookie sheet. Refrigerate until firm, about 5 minutes.
• Frost cupcakes. Garnish with leaf cutouts. Store loosely covered in refrigerator.

Steps:

• Wash the maple leaves with warm water and pat dry on paper towels. Line several cookie sheets with wax paper. Place the orange candy, green candy, and milk chocolate melting wafers into separate microwavable bowls. Microwave each bowl separately, stirring occasionally, until the candy is smooth, about 1 minute. Using a small, clean craft brush or your fingertip, paint spots in the 3 different colors of melted candy in an even layer (not too thin) over the top side of each leaf. While the candy is still wet, swirl the colors slightly to blend. Place the leaf on one of the cookie sheets, coated side up. Repeat with the remaining leaves. If the candy becomes too thick, reheat in the microwave for several seconds, stirring frequently. Place the cookie sheets in the refrigerator until the candy is set, about 5 minutes.
• Carefully peel the leaves from the hardened candy. They come off surprisingly easily. Use a toothpick or clean tweezers to remove any small pieces of leaf that may remain. (The leaves and other candy pieces can be made up to 5 days in advance, covered, and kept in a cool dry place.)
• Line a cookie sheet with wax paper. Spoon the remaining milk chocolate into a small bowl to use for the acorn tops. Soften 4 or 5 caramels at a time in the microwave for 3 to 4 seconds. Roll each caramel into an acorn (egg) shape. Place the chocolate jimmies in a small shallow bowl. Reheat the milk chocolate in the microwave, stirring often, until smooth, about 10 seconds. Dip the large end of an acorn caramel into the melted chocolate to cover about 1/4 inch. Allow any excess chocolate to drip off. While the acorn is still wet, dip the chocolate end into the jimmies to coat. Transfer to the cookie sheet. Repeat with the remaining acorns. Refrigerate until set, about 5 minutes.
• Spoon 1/4 cup of the chocolate frosting into a ziplock bag, press out the excess air, and seal. Spread the tops of the cupcakes with the remaining chocolate frosting and smooth. Arrange the cupcakes in pairs to make a circle on a large platter.
• Gently press the leaves into the frosting on the cupcakes, overlapping them. The leaves on the edge of the right half of the wreath will sweep to the right, while those on the left half will sweep to the left. Place the acorns randomly over the cupcakes. Snip a 1/8-inch corner from the bag with the chocolate frosting and pipe a dot of frosting at the top of each acorn to make a stem.