From HERSHEY’S

Makes 18 brownie cupcakes

It’s like having a pumpkin patch right in your very own kitchen. But these pumpkin don’t need any carving…just cute faces that adorn chocolatey goodness in these brownie cupcakes.

INGREDIENTS

BROWNIE CUPCAKES (recipe follows)

18 PUMPKIN PATCH PUMPKINS (recipe follows)

1 can vanilla ready-to-spread frosting or your favorite vanilla frosting (16 oz.)

Red and yellow food coloring

ROYAL ICING (recipe follows)

DIRECTIONS

1.Prepare BROWNIE CUPCAKES and PUMPKIN PATCH PUMPKINS.

2.Tint frosting to the desired shade of orange. Frost cupcakes and top each with decorated peanut butter pumpkin.

BROWNIE CUPCAKES RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine

1/2 cup HERSHEY’S Cocoa

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

1-1/3 cups chopped nuts

DIRECTIONS

1.Heat oven to 350°F. Line 18 muffin cups (2-1/2 inch diameter) with paper or foil bake cups.

2.Place butter in large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at HIGH (100%) 1-1/2 minutes or until melted. Add cocoa; stir until smooth. Add brown sugar and granulated sugar; stir with spoon until well blended. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well with spoon. Add flour and nuts; stir until well blended. Fill prepared muffin cups about 2/3 with batter.

3.Bake 22 to 25 minutes or until tops are cracked and feel firm (will be moist inside). Cool in pan on wire rack about 15 minutes. Remove from pan to wire rack; cool completely. Makes 18 brownie cupcakes.

PUMPKIN PATCH PUMPKINS RECIPE

1.Prepare ROYAL ICING.

2.Decorate small REESE’S Peanut Butter Pumpkins (.6 oz. ea.) with desired facial features. Allow icing to harden. (If you don’t like the design or parts of the design, wait until the icing has hardened and then you can remove without damaging the surface of the pumpkin.)

ROYAL ICING RECIPE

Makes 1 cup icing

INGREDIENTS

2 1/4 cups powdered sugar

2 tablespoons warm water

1 tablespoon pasteurized dried egg whites (meringue powder)

DIRECTIONS

1.Stir together powdered sugar, warm water, and dried egg whites (meringue powder). Beat at medium speed of electric mixer until spreadable. Add additional water, 1 teaspoon at a time, if too thick.

2.Divide icing into small bowls for each color desired and tint with food colorings.

3.Transfer icing to pastry bags or heavy duty food storage bags with desired tip. Cover icings and tips of pastry bags with damp paper towels to keep icing from drying out. (Some icing garnishes may need a firmer icing to hold their shape. Stir in small amounts of additional powdered sugar to get the desired consistency.)

Find this recipe and more holiday treats at hersheys.com