Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese frosting

One of the main things you need to know about me is that I LOVE to bake, especially at this time of year, so I usually find any excuse I can to bake.  My husband has a love/hate relationship with my love of baking!  He loves the results but wishes I wouldn't do it as often as he feels the need to be my 'official cake tester'!! 

As we all know there is nothing new under the sun, I found these cupcakes on a fabulous blog, mybakingaddiction, she was recommended them by a fan, who adapted them from Martha Stewart......so these are not my own by any means HOWEVER, they are fabulous and too good not to share!

I made them for our church Christmas party and was highly commended for them, so I am now paying it forward!

They are very simple to make, not very time consuming, and much easier to frost than I anticipated (I am terrible at frosting usually!) I found a great video on Bake It Pretty which really helped me.  I discovered the key is to be confident, and don't hesitate.....be determined and you can do it!

Here is the video I watched:

I am a sucker for a good cupcake or fairy cake as we like to call them in England.  These are in an elite league of their own, delectable, rich but light, sweet but not too sweet and SIMPLE.....all my favorite things wrapped up in one delightful cupcake!

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Cupcakes

YIELD: 24 cupcakes

INGREDIENTS:
For the Pumpkin Cake:

2 cups all-purpose or whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, I didn't have pumpkin pie spice so I added ground cloves and allspice instead

1 cup packed light-brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree

For the Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting:

2 (8) ounce package cream cheese, softened

1 stick butter, softened

2 lbs. confectioners’ sugar

1 TBS ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:
For the Pumpkin Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners or use non stick pans; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and pumpkin pie spice; set aside.


2. In a large bowl, whisk together, brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, and eggs, I did this stage in my Vitamix. Add dry ingredients, and whisk until smooth. Whisk in pumpkin puree.


3. Divide batter evenly among liners, filling each about halfway. Bake until tops spring back when touched, and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating pans once if needed. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.

For the Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting:

1. Using a mixer, blend the butter and cream cheese together until well combined.


2. Gradually add in the confectioners’ sugar until fully incorporated.


3. Finally mix in vanilla and cinnamon.


NOTES:

- I used this large French Tip from Bake It Pretty to pipe the frosting. I love this piping tip more than words can express! The site is pretty darn awesome too!
- adapted from Martha Stewart

My Baking Addiction Pumpkin Cupcakes Recipe