Pumpkin Cupcakes

With the beautiful weather in San Francisco this September and October, I’d forgotten about fall baking.  The canned pumpkin and squash are overflowing their shelves and containers at Safeway, while I’ve been day-tripping to the coast and studying for my digital marketing masters.  Luckily, our friend had an open house and there was no reason for me not to explore pumpkin recipes.  Especially since David had already eaten all the peach ice cream.

Sometimes I’m asked how I know where to look for particular recipes.  First, there is the wall of cookbooks I’ve hoarded, and then there’s the 20 some odd years of experience of knowing who’s good at what.  Ina Garten makes fabulous cupcake recipes so she was my first google search for “pumpkin cupcakes”.  Her cake recipe looked great but her frosting recipe called for maple syrup flavoring.  Hmm, not at Safeway!  So I’ve paired her pumpkin cupcakes with a maple cream cheese frosting with just a hint of maple syrup.

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Maple Frosting
Makes 24 cupcakes

2 cup (10 oz) all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground nutmeg
4 eggs
1 can pumpkin purée (15 oz), not pie filling
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil

Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

6 cups (24 oz) powdered sugar
2 8-ounce package cream cheese
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened in microwave or at room temperature
1/4 cup pure maple syrup (preferably Grade B)
Orange food coloring (optional)

candy corn

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line muffin tins with paper liners.  Into a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. In a larger bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin purée, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vegetable oil. Add the flour mixture and stir until combined.

Divide the batter among the prepared tins (I use a 2 1/4-inch ice cream scoop) and bake for 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Set aside to cool completely.

Beat ingredients for frosting in a mixer with paddle attachment until combined.  Add orange food coloring (optional).  Pipe Maple Cream Cheese Frosting with an 806 Ateco star tip and sprinkle with the candy corn.