25 Best Fall Cupcakes and Decorating Ideas Filled With Autumn Flavor
This year's harvest features apple, cinnamon and pumpkin-spiced treats!
Nothing gets us fired up to get baking quite like fall cupcakes. We rounded up our favorite fall flavors, including caramel, apple and maple, plus more than one pumpkin spice pick (we've been waiting for pumpkin desserts and fall treats forever!). These best-of-the-best recipes will give you the sugar rush required to crank out all of your favorite seasonal activities this year, from your favorite fall activities to DIY fall decorations galore.
Whether you’re planning to have Halloween-themed cupcakes at your Halloween party or Thanksgiving cupcakes at your Turkey Day feast, these delicious and easy cupcake recipes celebrate fall flavors in the best ways possible. Because they’re oh so easy to double (or triple!), cupcakes are the perfect shareable treat to whip up for a crowd. Many of these recipes are not only irresistible bite-sized desserts, but are a fall decoration all on their own! No stress if you’re not a piping pro. Most of the stunning, seasonal decorations are made from store-bought treats or candy you have around the house, making these desserts double as a fun family activity.
Not a pumpkin fan? No prob! Although we can’t get enough of the fall gourd’s flavor, we’ve included plenty of other favorites — PB and chocolate, sweet potato, carrot cake — to help you celebrate the season. Feeling extra festive? Whip up a few of our best fall cocktails for a full autumn spread!
Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting
Behold, the official cupcake of the season: Pumpkin pie spice, molasses, and tangy cream cheese frosting is exactly what we want to eat this autumn.
Get the Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting recipe.
Witch Cupcakes
Hats off to these witchy bites, topped with colorful buttercream and crafty cupcake liners.
Get the Witch Cupcakes recipe.
Pecan Cupcakes with Spiced Vanilla Frosting
Made with finely ground pecans, cinnamon and nutmeg, these spiced cupcakes are perfect for fall.
Spiderweb Cupcakes
Get into the spooky spirit with chocolate Ganache topped with white chocolate webs and M&M's spiders.
Get the Spiderweb Cupcakes recipe.
RELATED: 60 Scary Delicious Halloween Desserts to Serve at Your Extra Spooky Party
Cookie Bat Cupcakes
Store-bought cookies and candies turn chocolate cupcakes and dyed vanilla buttercream into spooky faces in this fun fall activity.
Get the Cookie Bat Cupcakes recipe.
RELATED: 33 Best Halloween Cakes That Are Scary and Delicious
Carrot-Pineapple Cupcakes
DIY pineapple flowers add an extra touch of beauty to sweet-spicy cupcakes.
Get the Carrot-Pineapple Cupcakes recipe.
Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cupcakes
Use a pastry bag to easily pipe the luscious peanut butter filling into simple chocolate cupcakes. The chocolate sour cream frosting is a must!
Get the Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cupcakes recipe.
RELATED: 25 Easy and Creative Chocolate Desserts That You Haven't Tried Yet
Buttermilk Cupcakes
Buttermilk gives a subtle acidity to balance these sweet vanilla cupcakes. Top them with edible fall flowers for the season!
Get the Buttermilk Cupcakes recipe.
Chocolate Pumpkin Witch Cupcakes
Want to hear something sweet? These spooky fall treats are topped with a crave-worthy hazelnut cream cheese frosting.
Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Orange Sour Cream Frosting
Instead of a classic cream cheese frosting, these cute cakes mix it up with sour cream instead. A bit of orange zest in the frosting adds even more zing.
Get the Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Orange Sour Cream Frosting recipe.
Graveyard Cupcakes
Rich chocolate cupcakes and creamy chocolate buttercream taste even better when buried under crushed-Oreo-cookie "dirt."
Get the Graveyard Cupcakes recipe.
Ice Cream Cupcakes
Three layers of ice cream mixed with your favorite sweet n' salty add-ins (Oreos, graham crackers, vanilla wafers — you choose!) makes a fun DIY dessert that the kids can make, too.
Get the Ice Cream Cupcakes recipe.
Sugared Lavender Cupcakes
It's easy to make the candied lavender that tops these cute cakes — just brush egg white on a lavender sprig, coat with sugar and let dry.
Get the Sugared Lavender Cupcakes recipe.
Boston Cream Cupcakes
Vanilla cupcakes stuffed with vanilla pudding and topped with a silky chocolate glaze make this classic dessert taste even better in cupcake form.
Get the Boston Cream Cupcakes recipe.
Chocolate Skeleton Cookie Cupcakes
Here's an idea for your Halloween snack table that won't scare anyone away: Vanilla cupcakes topped with brightly colored candies and chocolate skeleton cookies.
Mummy Cupcakes
Peek-a-BOO, these delicious vanilla buttercream-frosted cupcakes see you!
Get the Mummy Cupcakes recipe.
Lemon Cupcakes with Strawberry Frosting
Lemon and strawberry is a flavor combo we want to eat all year long.
Get the Lemon Cupcakes With Strawberry Frosting recipe.
RELATED: 33 Most Delicious Lemon Desserts to Help Celebrate Warmer Weather
Chocolate Chunk Cupcakes with Swirled Frosting
Stir heaps of chocolate chunks into vanilla cupcake batter for chocolatey texture in every bite. Perfect for back-to-school season!
Get the Chocolate Chunk Cupcakes With Swirled Frosting recipe from Country Living.
Shake Your Tail Feathers Cupcake
The kids won't be able to resist these easy vanilla cupcakes decorated with sugar cookie turkeys and colorful candy melts — so be sure to snag some for the adults, too.
Get the Shake Your Tail Feathers Cupcake recipe from Woman's Day.
Sweet Potato Pie Cupcakes
Made with yellow cake mix and a can of sweet potato puree, this marshmallow frosting-topped treat is a breeze to make.
Get the Sweet Potato Pie Cupcakes recipe from Delish.
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