Preheat your oven according to the temperature on the cake mix box. Line a standard cupcake pan with paper liners.

Prepare the yellow cake mix in a large bowl following the package directions, using the eggs, oil and water listed on the box.

Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake wells, filling each about two thirds full.

Bake as directed on the box until the tops spring back lightly and a toothpick comes out clean.

Let the cupcakes cool completely before adding frosting.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter with an electric mixer for 2–3 minutes until smooth and creamy.

Add the cocoa powder and 3 cups of the powdered sugar. Mix on low speed until mostly combined, then increase to medium speed.

Add the vanilla extract, salt and 3-4 tablespoons of heavy cream or milk. Beat for 2–3 minutes until light and fluffy.

If the frosting is too thick, add more cream or milk, 1 tablespoon at a time. If it's too soft, mix in additional powdered sugar a few tablespoons at a time until it spreads easily.

Transfer the frosting to a piping bag with the tip snipped off (or fitted with a large round tip) to make decorating easier.

Place your cake board or serving tray on the counter.

Arrange about 12 cupcakes close together on a 10-inch round cake board in a rounded, slightly irregular pumpkin patch shape rather than a perfect circle. If you're using all of the cupcakes from the cake mix, arrange them on a larger rectangular cake board or serving tray and make about 1½ batches of the frosting.

Push the cupcakes as close together as you can to minimize gaps.

Add a small dab of frosting underneath each cupcake to help hold it in place.

Pipe generous swirls of chocolate frosting over the tops of the cupcakes.

Using an offset spatula or butter knife, gently spread the frosting across the cupcakes, pushing it just slightly into the spaces between them so everything connects.

You do not need a perfectly smooth finish. In fact, I like leaving some ridges and little bumps that look like garden soil.

Press the pumpkin-shaped mellowcreme candies into the chocolate frosting, spacing them around the cupcake cake. Gently press each one into the frosting so it stays in place.

If your tube of green decorating icing has a large opening, transfer it to a piping bag and snip a very small hole for thinner vines (Some decorating icing tubes have a much wider opening than others. If yours does, transferring it to a piping bag makes it much easier to pipe thin vines.).

Pipe winding green vines between the pumpkins, letting them twist and curl across the chocolate "dirt."

Add a few small leaves and curly tendrils along the vines if you want. There is no wrong way to decorate your pumpkin patch!