Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

I love using pumpkin in the fall, so in lieu of red velvet cupcakes, I made pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheese frosting.  

I used a recipe from Martha and got to baking.



Pumpkin Cupcakes
Martha Stewart

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
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

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice; set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together, brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, pumpkin puree and eggs.

Add dry ingredients, and whisk until smooth.

It should look like this and smell divine.

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 cream cheese frosting, I found a pretty simple one from Paula.

Cream Cheese Frosting
Paula Deen

Ingredients
1 pound cream cheese, softened
2 sticks butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
Chopped nuts, toffee bars or fresh raspberries, for garnish

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla together until smooth. Add the sugar and on low speed, beat until incorporated. Increase the speed to high and mix until very light and fluffy.

You can frost the cupcakes with a butter knife or pipe it on with a pastry bag.  A good trick if you don't have a pastry bag is to use a zip lock bag and cut off one end.  I topped my cupcakes with raspberries and some crushed toffee bars.  

These were a hit and everyone asked where I bought the cupcakes from.  They were shocked when I told them they were homemade.  It's a great way to impress your guests and little do they know that these were really easy to make.  :)