Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

Screen Shot 2014-10-27 at 3.52.36 PMThe large collection of pumpkins here at Stewart’s are ripe and ready for you to make these delicious cupcakes. This is a great recipe, from Lisi’s Luscious Desserts,  to add your special touches to – nuts, no nuts, cranberries or a bit of heath bar crunchies. This is a quick and easy addition to your dessert repertoire!

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

Ingredients

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2 extra large eggs (room temp)

1 cup canned pumpkin puree

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar (lightly packed)

1/2 cup vegetable oil

chocolate chips if desired

frosting –

1/2 cup coarsely chopped heath bars

6 ounces cream cheese, room temp

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temp

2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups confectioners’ sugar

pinch kosher salt

Directions

Cupcakes – 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray or brush top of a muffin pan (this will prevent tops from sticking) and then line with paper liners. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt. In a larger bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin, sugar, brown sugar, and the vegetable oil. Add the dry to the wet and mix until just combined. Add chocolate chips if you like at this point.  And then you can skip the icing. Scoop the batter into the prepared tins and bake for 20-25 min – until a toothpick comes out just clean. Cool completely.  Then spread with the icing (below) and top with the chopped heath bars.  Enjoy!

Maple Frosting –

With the paddle attachment of your mixer (or hand held beaters) – cream the chream cheese, butter, syrup, vanilla and salt on medium speed until very smooth.  Turn the mixer to low – and slowly add the confectioners’ sugar and mix until smooth.

Adapted from the Ina Garten’s Foolproof Recipes. If you want to enjoy Lisi’s wonderful story about this recipe, click here. 

Screen Shot 2014-10-27 at 3.52.47 PM