Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

Happy Halloween!  It has been unseasonably warm this month in Santa Fe, and in the absence of cuddly sweaters and hot seasonal drinks I'm struggling to feel completely absorbed in the fall season, but the evenings are starting to get chilly and there is definitely a crispness to the air.  I'm down to (probably) my last full week at work before Baby makes her debut!  Tonight we're staying in and cheering on the Vikings while handing out candy to the neighborhood Trick-or-Treaters.

I made these cupcakes last week to share with my coworkers and celebrate my most recent student's successful completion of her clinical rotation.  (While I hate saying goodbye to our really excellent students, I love an excuse to bake!)  They were so good I had to make another batch for the hubby to take to work today.  With pumpkin puree and milk, these cupcakes are soft, creamy, and comforting for fall.  The cinnamon cream cheese frosting is flavorful and spicy, and I had fun dressing these up with festive sprinkle and candy corn pumpkins!  Enjoy!

I love this particular Pumpkin Spice mix from the Savory Spice Shop.

Warm cupcakes straight from the oven!

Mixing up the frosting.

Yum!

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting


From NinaHendrick.com

Ingredients:

For the Cupcakes:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter at room temperature
3 large eggs at room temperature

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
2 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese at room temperature
1 cup (2 sticks) butter at room temperature
2 pounds confectioner's sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp cinnamon
Extra cinnamon, sprinkles, or candies for garnish

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Add cupcake liners to two 12-cupcake pans.
2.  Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice in a medium bowl and set aside. 
3.  Combine pumpkin puree, milk, and vanilla extract in another bowl and set aside.
4.  Cream the brown sugar, granulated sugar, and butter in a stand mixer.  Add eggs, one at a time.  Beat in the flour mixture, alternating with the pumpkin puree mixture, until all ingredients are combined.
5.  Fill eat cupcake liner 3/4 full.  Bake 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. 
6.  To make the frosting, cream together the cream cheese and butter in a stand mixer using the paddle attachment.  Add the confectioner's sugar a little at a time until combined.  Add the vanilla and cinnamon.
7.  When the cupcakes are cooled, frost cupcakes and add decorations as you'd like.


Note:  I had enough frosting for two batches of cupcakes (4 dozen), so I would recommend making just half of the icing if you're only making 2 dozen cupcakes!

Enjoy!!