Pumpkin Cupcakes
Oh my God, you guys, these are THE BOMB. No kidding, they are the fluffiest, moistest, most delicious things I have eaten in forever. They're damn good straight out of the oven and even without icing, but they're EVEN BETTER the next day. I'm serious. Stop whatever you're doing right this instant, cook up some pumpkin and make these. You can thank me later.
Ingredients
Cupcakes
115g unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated / raw sugar
2 cups plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk mixed with 1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups cooked pumpkin, blended / mashed
Icing*
One packet (250gm) Philadelphia cream cheese, softened
50g unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup icing sugar
1/8 cup pure maple syrup
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Place patty pans / cupcake wrappers into the holes of a muffin tray.
2. In a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugars on medium speed until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, salt, and pepper into a medium bowl.
3. Add the eggs one at a time to the sugar / butter mix, scraping down the sides after each addition. Alternate adding the flour and buttermilk mixtures, beginning and ending with the flour. Beat in the pumpkin until smooth.
4. Pour the batter into the patty pans / cupcake wrappers. This mix should be somewhat runny, and you’re looking to get them 3/4 full.
5. Rap the filled pans once on the counter to release any air bubbles. Bake the cakes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool the cupcakes on racks completely.
Make the icing:
In a stand mixer beat all the ingredients on medium until fluffy. Ice cupcakes and allow to stand for a little before serving to allow the icing to set.
*This quantity of icing made enough for modest dollops of icing on each cupcake, but if you want to turn the recipe into a cake or completely cover the cupcakes with the stuff, double the quantities.
Ingredients
Cupcakes
115g unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated / raw sugar
2 cups plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk mixed with 1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups cooked pumpkin, blended / mashed
Icing*
One packet (250gm) Philadelphia cream cheese, softened
50g unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup icing sugar
1/8 cup pure maple syrup
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Place patty pans / cupcake wrappers into the holes of a muffin tray.
2. In a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugars on medium speed until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, salt, and pepper into a medium bowl.
3. Add the eggs one at a time to the sugar / butter mix, scraping down the sides after each addition. Alternate adding the flour and buttermilk mixtures, beginning and ending with the flour. Beat in the pumpkin until smooth.
4. Pour the batter into the patty pans / cupcake wrappers. This mix should be somewhat runny, and you’re looking to get them 3/4 full.
5. Rap the filled pans once on the counter to release any air bubbles. Bake the cakes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool the cupcakes on racks completely.
Make the icing:
In a stand mixer beat all the ingredients on medium until fluffy. Ice cupcakes and allow to stand for a little before serving to allow the icing to set.
*This quantity of icing made enough for modest dollops of icing on each cupcake, but if you want to turn the recipe into a cake or completely cover the cupcakes with the stuff, double the quantities.