Pumpkin Cupcakes & Cream Cheese Frosting

There are tons of pumpkin cupcake recipes out there. When I was in search of one to make I was pointed in the direction to "The Way the Cookie Crumbles" blog. The writer of the blog made 3 different types of pumpkin cupcakes (the 3 top rated and talked about on the internet). After sampling the variety her and her husband both decided that the pumpkin cakes recipe by David Leite via Smitten Kitchen reigned supreme. So I made them. Why waste time cooking and eating other cupcakes that weren't going to be as good? Have I ever told you that I was gullible? :)

Pumpkin Cupcakes

Ingredients

- 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for greasing pans
- 1 cup firmly packed dark-brown sugar
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups cake flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup buttermilk mixed with 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1¼ cups canned solid-pack pumpkin

:: Directions ::

1. Preheat the oven to 350° (175°C). Line a cupcake pan with 18 liners.

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 1 at a time to the mixer, scraping down the sides after each addition. Alternate adding the flour and milk mixtures, beginning and ending with the flour. Beat in the pumpkin until smooth. Divide the batter equally between the cups. (They’ll be about ¾ full.) 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 to 25 minutes. Cool the cupcakes on racks completely.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- 4oz cream cheese
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions
- In a large bowl beat together butter & cream cheese with mixed.

- Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time until smooth & creamy.

- Beat in vanilla extract

*Since its pumpkin & fall I decided to add some Wilton orange coloring gel to my frosting to make it pretty*