Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting, a Personal Challenge Conquered

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       I have decided that becoming an accomplished baker is a goal that I need to achieve.  I don't know why...sometimes I just get crazy ideas in my head.  For years, I've been content with leaving the baking to others.  Picking something up from the bakery was perfectly acceptable.  But I've been challenging myself to bake more often and I'm finding that I actually kind of enjoy it.  Especially if I'm the only one home and I can turn whatever music I like up as loud as I like and sing along as loud as I like (of course).  It's kind of relaxing. 
    
     The unfortunate thing is that there are only three of us in the house (my daughters are off at college) and I am the biggest sweet eater in the house which is not so friendly to the figure.  So to fix that problem, after the three of us who are at home have all had a taste of whatever I've baked, I send it off to Nicole and Kelly's sorority house where I know it will be eaten (thankfully, Steve is going to be on campus today, because I have a LOT of cupcakes to send their way!).

     I decided to make these pumpkin cupcakes for two reasons.  One, we're having company for dinner on Saturday night and I need dessert.  I think they will be delicious served with some cinnamon ice cream.  Two, I need to bring a baked good to church on Sunday.

     So having said all that, I think these cupcakes are pretty darn tasty,  as well as the cream cheese frosting (I LOVE cream cheese frosting).  I hope you try them yourself!

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting



• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup  unsalted butter (1 stick)
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp milk
• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine flour, baking powder and salt, set aside.

Cream sugars and butter together until fluffy.

Beat in eggs, one at a time.

Add pumpkin and beat in.

Add vanilla and spice and beat in .

Add one third of the flour mixture and beat in.

Then add half of the milk and beat in .

Add another third of the flour mixture and beat in.

Add the rest of the milk and beat in.

Add the rest of the flour mixture and beat in.

Divide batter between 18 muffin cups lined with muffin cups. (I find that an ice cream scoop works great for this.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes.

While cupcakes bake, prepare cream cheese frosting.
Cream together 1 cup (2 sticks) butter with 4 ounces cream cheese.

Beat in 1 1/4 cups of powdered sugar, 1/4 cup at a time.
Beat in 1 tsp vanilla.

Once cupcakes have cooled completely, frost.  If you want to get fancy and pipe the frosting on, take a ziploc bag and cut a very small hole in the bottom corner.  Then take a plastic piping piece and push through.  Then spoon in the frosting and pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes.

This is Alex doing "research" for me!

ENJOY!


Shared at Shared at Everyday Mom's Meals on 10/17/11

Shared at Everyday Sisters on 10/17/11
Shared at Deelicious Sweets on 11/14/11