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1
Preheat oven to 350F.
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2
Line standard muffin tins with paper liners.
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3
Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices.
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4
With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and brown sugar until pale and fluffy.
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5
Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
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6
Reduce speed to low.
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7
Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk, and beating until just combined.
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8
Add pumpkin puree; beat until just combined.
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9
Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full.
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10
Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes.
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11
Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 10 minutes; turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely.
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12
Cupcakes can be refrigerated up to 3 days in airtight containers.
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13
To finish, use an offset spatula to spread cupcakes with frosting.
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14
Top each with a marzipan pumpkin.
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15
Youll need a total of 14 ounces of marzipan to make 32 pumpkins.
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16
Tint two thirds marzipan orange with gel-paste food color (see page 299 for instructions).
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17
Tint remaining marzipan green.
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18
Using a small rolling pin, roll out green marzipan to about 1/8 inch thick on a work surface lightly dusted with cornstarch; use a mini leaf cutter (see Sources, page 342) to cut out leaf shapes.
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19
With the palms of your hands, roll bits of orange and green marzipan together into small ropes; cut and shape into stems.
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20
Shape pieces of orange marzipan into 1/8-inch balls.
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21
Use a toothpick to poke holes in tops of balls and press creases along outer edges from top to bottom.
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22
Attach leaves and stems to tops.
