Pumpkin Cupcakes

And now to continue the pumpkin goodness with pumpkin cupcakes. I found a recipe here for pumpkin cupcakes that come with a cream cheese frosting. Not only were they amazing, but they reminded me of these amazing pumpkin bars I used to get from a restaurant called The Brown Bag--the cakes were moist with a subtle spice, and the cream cheese frosting was sweet and cinnamon-y and delicious. I hope you give them a try!

• You will need the following:
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• Cupcake ingredients:
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 cups pumpkin puree
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• Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients (for 12-15 cupcakes--see below):
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 3 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

First, sift the flour, salt, baking soda and powder, and spices together in a medium bowl. Be sure to use the spices listed--I know it sounds tempting to use pumpkin pie spice (which I did the first go around--it seemed logical, as the types of spices used are the same), but the ratio of the different spices will be off and you will lose some of the spice taste if you substitute. So try to use the ones listed if you can.

Next, you will combine the cupcakes' wet ingredients in a large bowl. Start with the butter and sugars. When well mixed, add the eggs one at a time until incorporated. Finally, add the milk and pumpkin. Add the mixture of dry ingredients a little bit at a time to the wet ingredients until fully incorporated.

Finally, preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease two cupcake pans. Using a cookie scoop, pour the cupcake batter evenly into the pans (this recipe will make 24 total). Bake for 18-22 minutes or until golden (mine were done at 19 minutes).

While your cupcakes are baking, prepare your frosting. Using a hand-mixer, combine your package of cream cheese, butter, vanilla extract, and cinnamon. When well-combined, begin adding in your sugar in half cup increments. While the recipe suggests using 3 cups of confectioner's sugar, I would taste your frosting after two cups, then decide if you like your frosting a bit sweeter or a bit more savory. I liked mine sweet, so I used the full 3 cups, but you can definitely add less if you are content with the flavor.

Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting (note: I only made enough frosting for 1/2 the cupcakes; since I was not going to eat 24 cupcakes in a few days--even I can't accomplish that--I chose to freeze the other 12 for a future week's dessert. Feel free to double the frosting recipe if you can use all 24 at once, though!).

All in all, these cupcakes turned out moist and yummy, and, with a mug of hot apple cider, they are the perfect way to end a fall day. Enjoy!