Visit any Halloween store and you’ll quickly see that Halloween is no longer just a kids’ holiday.  Likewise, cupcakes, once only served at children’s birthday parties, are now made in flavors that are decidedly adult.  For an adults-only Halloween cupcake treat, try these pumpkin mudslide cupcakes.  Although the more traditional pumpkin flavor is present in the cupcakes, they taste distinctly of Kahlua and Baileys Irish Cream.  The cupcakes are finished with a drizzle of chocolate syrup over spiced pumpkin coffee buttercream frosting.

Quick tip: Make these for the under-21 set by replacing the Kahlua and Baileys Irish Cream in this recipe with apple juice.

Yield: 12 cupcakes

Cupcake Ingredients
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
2 teaspoons instant coffee granules
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch salt
1 ½ cups sugar
¾ cup pumpkin puree
2 large eggs
½ cup vegetable oil
¼ cup Kahlua
¼ cup Baileys Irish Cream

Cupcake Directions
Preheat oven to 350 F.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together flour, pumpkin pie spice, instant coffee granules, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat sugar, pumpkin puree, and eggs until smooth.
Mix the vegetable oil, Kahlua, and Baileys Irish Cream into the wet ingredients until fully combined.
Mix the flour mixture into the wet ingredients a little bit at a time until just incorporated.
Divide batter evenly among 12 cupcake liners.
Bake for 20 minutes or until cupcakes bounce back when lightly touched.

Frosting Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
½ cup pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate syrup for drizzling
Orange and black sanding sugar (optional)

Frosting Directions
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat butter until light and fluffy – about three minutes on high speed using an electric mixer.
Add powdered sugar a little bit at a time until fully combined.
Mix in pumpkin puree, coffee granules, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla until fully combined. 
Spread or pipe onto cooled cupcakes.
Drizzle with chocolate syrup.
Optionally, dust with orange and black sanding sugar.