Holiday Recipe: Pumpkin Cupcakes

With as many cute and creative ideas out there, a cupcake is always a fantastic choice for any gathering or celebration! These little fall pumpkin cupcakes are a wonderful treat to celebrate my sister Natalie and her husband Chris’s wedding anniversary.

Pumpkin Cupcakes

Makes 18-22 Cupcakes

What You Need:
• Hand mixer
• Two large mixing bowls
• Parchment paper
• ¼ measuring cup
• Cupcake baking tin
• Cupcake papers
• 1 quart-sized ziplock bag
• Toothpicks

Cupcake Ingredients:
Adapted from gimmesomeoven.com

• 1 cup butter at room temperature
• 2 ½ cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
• ¾ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves
• ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 can pumpkin puree, 15 ounces
• ¾ cup buttermilk, shaken well
• 1 teaspoon caramel flavoring (optional, you can substitute Vanilla or Almond as well)
• 1 ¼ cups white granulated sugar
• 3 large or jumbo eggs

Method:
Preheat your oven to 350º and prepare the cupcake liners in your cupcake tin. Start by using the hand mixer to combine the white sugar with the softened butter, then add the eggs, and mix together for at least a minute. Next, add the buttermilk, followed by the pumpkin; mix in between and afterward.

In a separate bowl, fluff together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, cardamom, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, with a fork or a whisk. Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture in small portions at a time, always mixing thoroughly in between.

Use a ¼ measuring cup to dollop the cupcake mix into each cupcake liner, between ½ and ¾ of the way full. Place in the oven and bake for between 20-25 minutes, but check on them after 18 minutes of baking; because every oven is different.

Holiday Spice Frosting Ingredients:
• 2 packages of cream cheese, softened (16 ounces)
• ½ cup butter, at room temperature
• 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
• Yellow food coloring
• Red food coloring

Method:

Using the hand mixer, beat together the softened butter, almond extract, and the cream cheese. Once a fluffy light yellow, add the spices. Mix until your satisfied the spices have made it to all parts. Add the powdered sugar in small portions, and beat until well mixed. Finally, begin the process of mixing your orange shade in keeping with increments of 3 parts yellow coloring to every 1 part red coloring.

Pumpkin stem and leaf method:
You will need: Green Candy Melts

Lay out a sheet of parchment paper. Take a small handful of candy melts, place in a mug, and pop it into the microwave for 90 seconds. Remove it from the microwave and stir immediately. It will be hot when you remove the melted green candy. As carefully as possible, load the green into your ziplock bag, nip off one corner (always start small), and have fun making your shapes! Allow to dry, and the shapes can be lifted with ease using a butter knife.

To assemble the cupcakes for your party, wait for them to cool for at least two hours before icing. Place the stem and leaf shape you created, by pressing it firmly into the cream cheese icing. I placed the scalloped tag on a toothpick for each cupcake, as well as wrapped pretty red ribbon around each base and enclosed with a Raj style oval label.

Used In This Project:

• Scallop Tags • I chose the “Raj” style in Soft Spice.
• Oval Labels • I chose the “Raj” style in Soft Spice.

More homemade gift ideas from Zoe:

DIY Rustic Candle Holders	Scarecrow Cupcakes	Homemade Milk Caramels	DIY Calling Bird Ornaments

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