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    Meals » Recipes » Desserts

    Easy Sunflower Cupcakes

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please see disclosure for more information. Published: Oct 26, 2015 · Modified: Feb 25, 2021 by Dee

    You can make these Easy Sunflower Cupcakes with a spice cake mix and decorate them with gingersnaps and candy corn. It's a quick and easy fall dessert!

    Jump to Recipe -
    cupcakes-with-sunflowers-topped-with-gingersnaps-and-candy-corn-for-thanksgiving

    I'm already thinking ahead to Thanksgiving dinner and trying to come up with a few easy desserts. I know we'll have pumpkin pie, but I like to have more than one thing on the dessert menu just so that there's some variety. And some people, especially my kids, aren't big fans of pumpkin pie. But, I made these Easy Sunflower Cupcakes this weekend, and I think they'll be perfect for Thanksgiving!


    I've always had a thing for sunflowers. I just love them, and honestly, I'd rather have a big bunch of sunflowers than a bouquet of roses. Actually, roses make me sneeze, so the Hubs gets to save some cash when he buys flowers for birthdays and anniversaries!


    I try to have sunflowers on the table or in the room for Thanksgiving, so I thought it would be fun to have them on the cupcakes too. And instead of making the flowers out of icing, I took the easy way out and used gingersnaps and candy corn, instead.

    I also used a spice cake mix, but I made the peanut butter cream cheese frosting. So these cupcakes are semi-homemade, but I think sometimes, especially when you're entertaining, it's perfectly fine to take some sanity-saving shortcuts!

    gingersnaps-and-candy-corn-flowers-on-cupcakes

    The additional cinnamon is optional, but if you know me, you know how much I love this spice, and it just adds a little bit of extra flavor.

    And if you really want to save some time, you can even use a jar of frosting instead of making your own. There isn't that much frosting on the cupcakes, and it's mainly there just to hold the cookie and candy in place.

    But honestly, the peanut butter cream cheese frosting is the perfect complement to the spices in the cookies and cupcakes, and the flavors go very well together. Plus, the frosting isn't that sweet, so if you have a chance to make your own frosting, go for it!

    How To Make Easy Sunflower Cupcakes

    Easy Sunflower Cupcakes

    Published by Dee
    Easy spice cake mix cupcakes that are perfect for fall dessert
    No ratings yet
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    Prep Time 20 mins
    Cook Time 18 mins
    Total Time 38 mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 24 cupcakes
    Calories 156 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • Ingredients for Easy Sunflower Cupcakes
    • 1 box spice cake mix
    • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
    • 3 large eggs
    • 1 cup water
    • ½ cup all-natural applesauce
    • 2 cups powdered sugar
    • 3 ounces cream cheese softened
    • ¼ cup creamy peanut butter
    • 2 tablespoons milk
    • Candy corn and gingersnap cookies for garnish

    Instructions
     

    • Make the cupcakes according to directions on the package, but use the applesauce in place of the oil, and add the cinnamon for extra flavor.
    • Spoon batter into a muffin tin lined with paper cups, and bake at 350 degrees for about 15 to 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
    • Let cupcakes cool completely, then frost.
    • For the frosting, mix the peanut butter, cream cheese, milk and powdered sugar together until light and fluffy, and then spread a thin layer on each cupcake.
    • Top each cupcake with a gingersnap, and then add candy corn around the cookie.
    • Makes 24 cupcakes

    Nutrition information is estimated. Please do your own calculation to fit special diets.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 156kcalCarbohydrates: 29gProtein: 2gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 24mgSodium: 189mgPotassium: 45mgSugar: 20gVitamin A: 75IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 55mgIron: 0.6mg
    Tried this recipe? Please comment and rate it! Show me your dish on Instagram!Mention @meatloafandmelodrama or tag #meatloafandmelodrama!

     

    fall-sunflower-cupcakes-with-peanut-butter-frosting


    These easy sunflower cupcakes pretty much scream fall, from the colors to the flavors. And if you think about it, you get three desserts in one small package -- a cookie, candy corn and a cupcake! 

    easy-sunflower-cupcakes-for-fall

    Are you thinking about Thanksgiving dinner yet?

    Have a super day!

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    Reader Interactions

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Dorene Blauvelt says

      November 07, 2015 at 8:12 am

      Dee, these are adorable and such a cute addition to a dessert buffet table. I'll definitely be pinning the idea.
      Dorene @ Seasonal Chapters

      Reply
    2. Dee M says

      November 04, 2015 at 6:36 am

      Same to you, Miz Helen, and thanks for hosting the party!

      Reply
    3. Dee M says

      November 04, 2015 at 6:34 am

      Aw, thanks a bunch, Angie!

      Reply
    4. Kathryn Ferguson Griffin says

      November 03, 2015 at 2:07 am

      Dee, those are soooo cute! Thank you for sharing. Feel free to share this at my Make it Pretty Monday party which goes live tonight at 8:00PM (Monday). http://www.thededicatedhouse.com Hope to see you at the bash! Have a lovely week ahead. Toodles, Kathryn @TheDedicatedHouse

      Reply
    5. Miz Helen says

      November 02, 2015 at 8:24 pm

      These cupcakes are just adorable! Thanks so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday and hope you have a great week.
      Come Back Soon!
      Miz Helen

      Reply
    6. Angie says

      October 31, 2015 at 5:55 pm

      These are the cutest little cupcakes I've ever seen!

      Reply
    7. Dee M says

      October 26, 2015 at 9:45 pm

      Merci beaucoup, Martine. Je suis heureux que vous les aimez!

      Reply
    8. Dee M says

      October 26, 2015 at 9:35 pm

      Thanks, Michele. The kids had fun eating them, and at least, they weren't hard to put together. 🙂

      Reply
    9. Michele @ The Nest at Finch Rest says

      October 26, 2015 at 9:33 pm

      Dee, those are just too cute for words.

      Reply
    10. martinealison says

      October 26, 2015 at 9:33 pm

      Bonsoir chère amie,

      Un petit gâteau, magnifique avec un bel équilibre des couleurs et certainement des saveurs !

      ❀ ✺ ❀ Gros bisous ❀ ✺ ❀

      Reply

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    I’m the blogger, chief cook, recipe developer and photographer behind Meatloaf and Melodrama. I absolutely love to create easy, budget-friendly, homemade meals and treats for my family. I also love to think of new ways to repurpose leftovers so that my family will actually eat them!

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