Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes

 

 

Tis the season.

No, not that season (although I saw it lurking in the back corner of Target the other day.  A light up flamingo with a santa hat, really? ).   

The season of pumpkin and apple spiced everything!    Pumpkin lattes, apple crisp.   You name it and it's out there.   You might as well give in and enjoy.   

And if you're thinking that you need to take a fall treat somewhere in the next few weeks, these pumpkin cupcakes with maple cream cheese frosting are the way to go.

What You Need

For the cupcakes:
1 box yellow cake mix
1 cup canned pumpkin (not pie mix - and most cans have 2 cups, so you can either make more cupcakes, or perhaps some pumpkin cookies....)
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup oil
4 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon all spice
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

For the frosting:
8oz cream cheese, room temperature
4 oz butter, room temperature
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
2 cups powdered sugar

For the pecan topping:
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
2 tablespoons granulated sugar

What You Do

Preheat your oven to 350.   Place paper baking cups in 24 muffin cups (I actually made 26....24 for going out and 2 for eating in).

In a large mixing bowl beat cake mix, pumpkin, water, oil, eggs and spices with an electric mixer for 2 minutes, scraping the bowl occasionally.     Spoon batter into muffin cups, about 2/3 full.

Bake for 15-19 minutes (check at 15, that's what worked here at altitude).     Allow cupcakes to cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then set on the counter or wire rack to finish cooling. 

To make the frosting, beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth.   Add maple syrup.    Slowly add in the powdered sugar.  If you put it all in at once and at a high speed, you will end up wearing it.   Smooth frosting onto the cupcakes with an off set spatula and top with the pecan topping.

To make the pecan topping cook pecans and sugar over low heat in a skillet for 8 minutes, stirring constantly.    Allow nuts and sugar to cool before frosting and garnishing your cupcakes.

What's your favorite fall flavor?