Pumpkin Cupcakes With Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

Come fall, I love EVERYTHING pumpkin. The smell alone gets me every time. I had an extra can of pumpkin after making my mom’s pumpkin bread (coming soon), so I went in search of a new recipe. I came across thesePumpkin Cupcakes on the Food Network website. Last weekend, I woke up early while Matt and Brady (our dog) were still asleep and baked a batch of these cupcakes. The mornings are getting cool and the combination of the cool air outside and the warmth from the oven was quintessentially fall. The cupcakes are perfectly spiced from the cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger with a slightly tangy maple cream cheese frosting. They are a great cupcake for anyone trying to expand their pumpkin repertoire. Enjoy!

Ingredients

     Cupcakes:

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs

    Maple Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 1 8 oz block of cream cheese, softened
• 2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1-2 cups powdered sugar (depending on how sweet you like your frosting)
• Chopped toasted pecans or almonds, for topping

1. For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12 cup muffin pan with paper liners.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. In another bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the pumpkin and vanilla. Slowly beat in the eggs, one at a time.
4. Incorporate the dry mixture into the wet until thoroughly combined.
5. Fill the muffin tins 3/4 the way full. Bake until the tops turn golden brown and an inserted toothpick comes out clean (18-20 minutes.)
6. Remove the cupcakes and let cool completely.
7. For the frosting: Add the cream cheese, butter, maple syrup, and a pinch of salt to a large bowl and beat until creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar until the desired taste and thickness are achieved.
8. Top the frosted cupcakes with chopped nuts. They would also be great topped with a few raisins or dried cranberries.