Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Name: Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 2 dozen.
Ingredients: 3/4 cup butter, softened; 2-1/2 cups sugar; 3 large eggs, room temperature; 1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin; 2-1/3 cups all-purpose flour; 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 3/4 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger; 1 cup buttermilk; FROSTING:; 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened; 1/2 cup butter, softened; 4 cups confectioners' sugar; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 25 min. Bake: 20 min. + cooling YIELD: 2 dozen.

I discovered this wonderful pumpkin cupcake recipe and changed a bit to suit my taste. I love the flavor of pumpkin and the cinnamon makes ordinary cream cheese frosting extra special. When I made a batch for my husband to take to work, he said they disappeared in record time. —Debbie Wiggins, Longmont, Colorado

Ingredients

3/4 cup butter, softened
2-1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
2-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup buttermilk
FROSTING:
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add pumpkin. Combine flour, pie spice, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, baking soda and ginger; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition.
2. Fill 24 paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
3. For frosting, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add confectioners’ sugar, vanilla and cinnamon; beat until smooth. Frost cupcakes. Refrigerate leftovers.

Nutrition Facts

1 cupcake: 340 calories, 14g fat (8g saturated fat), 62mg cholesterol, 233mg sodium, 53g carbohydrate (41g sugars, 1g fiber), 4g protein.