Orange-Filled Chocolate Cupcakes with Fondant

Heat oven to 350°F.

Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups.

Bake cupcakes as directed on box, using water, oil and eggs. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in large microwavable bowl, place marshmallows and 1 tablespoon of the water. Microwave uncovered on High 30 seconds; stir. Microwave 30 seconds longer; stir until smooth. Fold in 3/4 cup of the powdered sugar. Stir in vanilla.

Generously grease hands and counter with some of the shortening. Turn marshmallow mixture onto counter.

Sprinkle 1 cup of the powdered sugar over marshmallow mixture and knead as you would dough. Continue to add the remaining 2 1/4 cups powdered sugar, greasing hands and counter often to prevent sticking. If fondant begins to tear, it is too dry; add remaining water, 1/2 teaspoon at a time, and knead until fondant forms a firm, smooth, elastic ball that will stretch without tearing, about 8 minutes. Wrap fondant in a double thickness of plastic wrap, squeezing out any air; set aside.

In small microwavable bowl, place 2/3 cup of the frosting; set aside. To the remaining frosting, add 4 drops of the yellow food color, 2 drops of the red food color and the orange extract; stir until uniformly tinted. Fit round tip in decorating bag (opening about 1/8 to 1/4 inch in diameter). Spoon frosting into decorating bag. Insert tip in center of 1 cupcake, about halfway down. Gently squeeze decorating bag, pulling upwards until cupcake swells slightly and frosting comes to the top (filling cupcake with about 1 tablespoon frosting). Repeat with remaining cupcakes.

Microwave reserved 2/3 cup frosting uncovered on High 10 seconds or just until melted. Spoon 1 scant teaspoon frosting on top of each cupcake; spread evenly, using back of spoon.

Cut fondant in half; rewrap other half. (When not working with fondant, keep it covered with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out.) On surface dusted with powdered sugar, roll fondant until 1/8 inch thick. Using 3-inch round biscuit or scalloped cookie cutter, cut 12 rounds, rerolling if necessary. Wrap remaining scraps of fondant in plastic wrap; set aside for decorating. Drape 1 fondant round over each of 12 cupcakes, gently shaping over top. Repeat with remaining fondant and cupcakes.

Tint a walnut-size piece of reserved fondant with green food color; wrap in plastic wrap. Tint remaining fondant scraps orange with remaining 6 drops of the yellow food color and remaining 3 drops of the red food color; roll until 1/8 inch thick. Using 1-inch pumpkin-shaped cookie cutter, cut out pumpkin shapes. Moisten fondant on each cupcake and arrange cutouts on top.

Pinch small pieces of green-tinted fondant and shape into small oblong stems; moisten tops of orange fondant pumpkins and arrange green stems on top.