These easy Pumpkin Patch Cupcakes are made with a shortcut chocolate cake mix, topped with a creamy and delicious chocolate frosting, crushed Oreos and pumpkin candies! Make these for a fun fall or Halloween treat. Kids are going to love it!
This pumpkin patch cupcake is a cross between creamy pudding cups and a cupcake. The cupcake is moist, decadent, and chocolatey. My favorite thing about this cupcake is the topping, the chocolate frosting is so rich and the crushed Oreos give it a lovely crunch.
Make a batch of these cupcakes for a fun Halloween surprise for your family, or take them to a bake sale, or to a party. Another recipe that I think that you will love is these Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cheesecake Frosting! This recipe uses a box of spice cake mix, and cheesecake pudding for the frosting. So good!
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Easy. You will love how easily and quickly these cupcakes come together!
- Simple Ingredients. Everything you need to make these cupcakes can be found at any grocery store.
- Fun! Get your kids to help you make these, they will learn something and have so much fun help you bake these!
Key Ingredients
Complete list of ingredients with quantities and instructions is located in the recipe card below
- Cake Mix: I’m using a box of Betty Crocker Milk Chocolate cake mix (Duncan Hines triple chocolate is also great), but you can use any other brand. I also use this product to make my easy Cake Mix Brownies. You also need the ingredients needed to make the cupcakes, follow the instructions on the back of the cake mix box.
- Oreos: You need about 36 original Oreos for the topping, crush them up in a ziploc bag or a food processor but don’t crush them too finely.
- For the Frosting: You will need softened butter, cream cheese, unsweetend cocoa powder, pure vanilla extract, salt, and milk.
How To Make Pumpkin Patch Cupcakes
- Prep: Preheat the oven and prepare the cupcake batter following the instructions on the cake mix box.
- Cool: Remove from the oven, and allow the cupcakes to cool completely.
- Make the Frosting: In a bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add vanilla extract and salt and beat again. Then gradually add powdered sugar, and cocoa powder (about half a cup at a time to avoid a sugar storm). Make sure to scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat until smooth and creamy.
- Frost and Add Oreo Crumbs: Add Oreo cookies to a food processer and pulse until you get fine crumbs that look like dirt. You can also crush the cookies using a ziplock bag and a rolling pin or other heavy object. When the cupcakes are fully cooled, you can decorate! Fill a piping bag fitted with a large star tip with the frosting. Pipe a swirl on each cupcake, then sprinkle with 1 or 2 spoonfuls of Oreo crumbs.
- Decorate: Finally, top with a pumpkin candy and serve.
Top Tips
- Make it from Scratch! If you’re looking for a good chocolate cupcake recipe from scratch, check out my Halloween Dirt Cupcakes. It’s easy and delicious!
- Try Other Frostings: This cream cheese frosting is wonderful, but you may also make these using canned frosting or classic American chocolate buttercream can be used instead.
Storing Tips
You can store your chocolate cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The cupcakes are best enjoyed at room temperature, so allow them to come to room temperature (let them sit for 10-15 minutes) so the frosting softens.
Other Fall Desserts You Should Try
- Halloween Cookie Cake
- Candy Corn Rice Krispie Treats
- Candy Corn Marshmallow Treats
- Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
These Pumpkin Patch Cupcakes are super fun to decorate and even more fun to eat! Everyone is going to love these when you bring them to Halloween parties. Don’t forget to Pin the recipe to find it later!
Pumpkin Patch Cupcakes
Equipment
- 2 x 12 cup muffin pan
- Spatula
- Cupcake liners
Ingredients
- 1 15.25oz box Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix plus ingredients needed to make it, per the instructions (oil, eggs, water, etc.)
For the Frosting:
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 8 oz. package cream cheese softened
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 ½ cups powdered sugar
- ½ cup unsweetend cocoa powder
- 3 tablespoons milk whole or 2%
For the Topping:
- 36 classic Oreo cookies
- 24 mellowcreme pumpkin candies
- Sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat the oven and prepare the cupcake batter following the instructions on the cake mix box.
- Remove from the oven, and allow the cupcakes to cool completely.
- In a bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add vanilla extract and salt and beat again. Then gradually add powdered sugar, and cocoa powder (about half a cup at a time to avoid a sugar storm). Make sure to scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat until smooth and creamy.
- Add Oreo cookies to a food processer and pulse until you get fine crumbs that look like dirt. You can also crush the cookies using a ziplock bag and a rolling pin or other heavy object.
- Fill a piping bag fitted with a large star tip with the frosting. Pipe a swirl on each cupcake, then sprinkle with 1 or 2 spoonfuls of Oreo crumbs.
- Finally, top with pumpkin candies, sprinkles, and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
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