Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

Fall baking just wouldn’t be Fall baking without some pumpkin cupcakes. This time of year, I just want to eat all things pumpkin flavored until I’m so sick of pumpkin I don’t want to see it for another year. But that’s just me. My husband, on the other hand, couldn’t be less excited about pumpkin flavored things. Maybe it’s an American thing, a taste most of us acquired growing up. But being the usual good sport, my husband agreed to try my pumpkin flavored cupcakes, amongst the slew of other pumpkin flavored goodies. I haven’t seen my cupcakes since… or my husband for that matter…

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes
Yields 12 cupcakes

For the cupcakes:
1/2 stick (57 grams) butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/3 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup milk

For the frosting:
1 cup milk
5 tbsp. all purpose flour
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup (226 grams) butter
1 cup granulated sugar

Start by preheating your oven to 350* Fahrenheit (175* Celsius) and lining your cupcake pan(s) with liners. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter until smooth. Add the granulated sugar and beat until small, sugary lumps form. Add the eggs, baking powder, vanilla extract, cinnamon, ground ginger, and ground cloves, and mix until all ingredients are combined and there are no longer any lumps. Add the pumpkin, flour, and milk, mixing between each new addition until the ingredients are just combined. Pour the batter into the lined cupcake pan(s) and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the cupcakes are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

While the cupcakes bake, you can start preparing the frosting. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the milk and all purpose flour, whisking until the two are combined. Continue whisking as the mixture heats and thickens until it reaches a thick pudding consistency (about 5-7 minutes). Remove the milk/flour mixture from the heat, and set aside to cool completely. Once the mixture is completely cool, stir in the vanilla extract. In a large bowl, beat together the butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is smooth and there are no longer any lumps or granules of sugar. Pour the milk/flour/vanilla mixture into the butter and sugar, and whip until the two are completely smooth and combined. Spoon the frosting into a piping bag and pipe onto the cooled cupcakes.

To make the pumpkin toppers, you can use either fondant or marzipan (I used marzipan because it’s easy to get here, comes in small amounts, and because I essentially hoard my fondant), the technique will be the same. Tear off a small fistful of the fondant or marzipan. Place a few drops of orange gel food coloring on the center of the marzipan/fondant, and knead it in until it’s a uniform orange. Tear the marzipan/fondant into 12 hunks and roll them into balls about an inch in diameter. Press the top of each to flatten it ever so slightly, and use a toothpick to score around the sides. I like to section my pumpkins into about 8 parts when I’m scoring with the toothpick. Tear another, smaller hunk off the original marzipan/fondant, and tint it a light green. Roll the green marzipan/fondant out into a thin log and cut it into 1/2″ pieces. You can make the log thicker or thinner depending on whether you want thicker or thinner stems. Press the stems into the top of the pumpkins and score around the base with a toothpick to help them stay attached.

Top the cupcakes the toppers and enjoy!

Happy baking!

Sources:
Frosting recipe adapted from Tasty Kitchen