Some people love Apple Pie.  Okay, a lot of people love Apple Pie.  But a lot of people also really love cupcakes.  And cupcakes can be appropriate for Thanksgiving.  Especially pumpkin cupcakes with maple spice frosting. 

And especially pumpkin cupcakes with maple spice frosting decorated and assembled to make a three-dimensional, edible pumpkin centerpiece!

So this Thanksgiving, use our recipe — a twist on our original “bouquet” recipe — to adorn the table in an unforgettable way.  And I’m sure they won’t be upset if you also serve apple pie!

Oh, and if you are inspired to make something based on this, will you send us pictures?  We’d love to see them and maybe even post them to help further inspire people…with credit to you of course!!

Pumpkin Centerpiece of Pumpkin Cupcakes and Maple Spice Frosting
(using step x step photos of our Bouquet Technique)

WHAT YOU NEED

 For Cake
48-52 cupcakes baked in Reynolds Orange Foil Baking Cups
2 packages (18.25 oz. each) yellow cake mix
2 cups canned pumpkin
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
Water, oil and eggs (follow package directions)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract for cake

For Frosting
1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
6 tablespoons maple syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract for frosting
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 to 2 packages (16 oz.each ) powdered sugar
Neon orange food coloring
Green food coloring
Optional:  orange sugar crystals

For Creating Centerpiece
1 large platter or tray (at least 12 inches wide)
1 8” Styrofoam ball (purchase at your local craft store)
1 4×4x2″ Styrofoam block  (purchase at your local craft)
4 6″ wooden skewers
1 glue gun and glue sticks
48-52 wooden craft sticks
1 small paring knife

INSTRUCTIONS

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. 

PLACE Reynolds Baking Cups in muffin pans; set aside. 

BEAT cake mixes, pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, water, oil, eggs and vanilla in a large bowl with an electric mixer on lw speed until moistened, about 30 seconds.  Then beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.  Spoon batter into baking cups.  If desired, each cake mix can be beaten separately just use half of pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice and vanilla in each.

BAKE 20 to 23 minutes.  Cool.

MIX cream cheese, maple syrup, 2 teaspoons vanilla, and cinnamon in a large bowl.  Add powdered sugar gradually until well blended.

DIVIDE frosting, use food coloring to dye 1/2 cup green and the remaining frosting orange.

SET aside two cupcakes for stem.  PIPE or frost remaining cupcakes with orange frosting.  Sprinkle with orange sugar crystals,  if desired.  Very Important: Let frosting stand and harden at least 1 hour.

PREPARE CENTERPIECE

1. Place Styrofoam block on a platter.  Use hot glue to glue block to platter.  Insert 4 wooden skewers in a square center of block.
   
2. Place Styrofoam ball on top of block, sliding ball onto skewers.  Use hot glue to secure in place, if necessary.
   
3. Starting at the bottom of the styrofoam ball, insert one wooden craft stick angled 45 degrees up.  Push stick deep into ball so that about 1/2 of it remains sticking out to hold cupcake.
4. Use a paring knife to make a thin slit into the bottom of the decorated cupcake.
5. Slide decorated cupcake onto wooden craft stick.
   
6. Repeat these steps, one row at a time.  Work your way all the way around the bottom of the ball to the top, placing the cupcakes as close together as you can get them.
   
7. Leave a 3-inch circle of open space at the top for the stem.  Remove baking cups from the 2 cupcakes that were set aside for stem.  Cut a thin slice from the top of each cupcake to create flat surfaces.
8. Frost cut side of one cupcake with green frosting and press bottom of second cupcake on top of it.  Prepare stem by spreading a thin coating of green frosting over all sides of both cupcakes.
   
9. Spread a dollop of green frosting in open space at top of ball to serve as “glue” for the stem.  Place frosted green cupcakes upside down on frosting so flat bottom of one of the cupcakes makes the top of the stem.  Spread frosting over stem until completely covered.  Use a fork to make circular lines in the top of the stem and vertical lines on the sides, if desired.
   
10. Optional:  place additional cupcakes on platter around bottom of Pumpkin.