Pumpkin Cupcakes

 

For the my cupcake of the month for October this year I decided to go with something so simple but absolutely delicious, pumpkin. In my mind you really can't get any more on point for the month of October than pumpkin so they are perfect. I paired them with a divine cream cheese frosting to make the perfect way to finish off dinner time this month. 

 

 

As always we are starting with a partial box of cake mix. In the blog post you can find here I gave directions on how I divide a standard box of cake mix from the grocery store to make it perfect for small batch baking. If you haven't read that blog post I recommend you go over and read it first then come back and read this one. It will help you get all set to make this recipe.

I find that I normally get 6 cupcakes from these recipes but I have friends that always get 8. You can expect to get 6 to 8 depending on your pan and how full you fill it.

I love this recipe because while it has a bit of pumpkin spice in it, it is much more pumpkin than pumpkin spice. If you want more of a spice twist to your cupcakes make exactly the same recipe using a spice cake mix and leaving out the pumpkin spice that I use today.

I do have to warn you these smell so yummy while baking they are going to have you ready to dig in immediately when they come out of the oven. Please hold off and wait until they are cooled and you have frosted them to get the complete experience.

Speaking of frosting the recipe makes enough to cover 8 cupcakes but if you have some leftover this is excellent spread between a couple of graham crackers for a wonder treat for the cook.

You can find a downloadable/printable version of this recipe here.

Pumpkin Cupcakes

⅓ of a box of yellow cake mix

⅓ cup pumpkin puree

1 egg

3 Tablespoons milk

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Start by preheating your oven to the temperature your box of cake mix calls for, mine was 350°F. Line your cupcake pan with paper liners or grease really well.

Combine the pumpkin, egg, milk, oil, spice, and vanilla in a mixing bowl and combine well.

Add the cake mix and beat for up to 90 seconds.

Portion into cupcake pan and bake according to instructions on your cake mix.

 

 Mine was baked at 350°F for about 20 minutes.

Cool in pan for 10 minutes then move to a cooling rack and cool completely.

Small Batch Cream Cheese Frosting

¼ cup butter, softened

4 oz cream cheese, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups powdered sugar

Seasonal sprinkles if desired

Beat the softened butter, cream cheese, and vanilla extract until combined and starting to get fluffy.

Slowly add the powdered sugar beating until well combined and creamy.

Move frosting to a decorating bag equipped with a large decorating tip. Decorate your cupcakes as desired.

October Cupcakes

 

This month I decided to do a cupcake that can be used as part of a Halloween spread but would also be good any time. Remember this a small batch recipe that uses only ⅓ of a box of cake mix. If you haven't already divided you box of cake mix here is the link to blog post that details how to do this.

I did spend a bit more time thinking about this one than I probably should have but I am really excited about how they came out.

Since Halloween is so centered around candy and for me the best candy is a dark chocolate I wanted to start with that. However, I didn't start with a chocolate cake mix, I am using a yellow mix again this month. Hang on and you will see why. I got to thinking about what goes really well with chocolate and makes me think of fall. Oranges came to mind since my mom always sent a lot of oranges in my school lunches at the beginning of the school year.

Then my thought process went back in time to when I was school age and I remembered how excited I was when my mom would make a marble cake. That was it! Let's take the idea of the marble cake and pair with chocolate and orange and make some fun, festive cupcakes that will amaze your friends. Since I am totally in love with my new frosting recipe I am going to share a chocolate version with you this month as the perfect topper for these.

I was hoping to find something cute to decorate the tops of my cupcakes but sadly I totally forgot to pick up anything so sprinkles will have to do this time. I did pull out some Halloween themed cupcake liners that I had on hand at least.

Since we are going to need two flavors of batter we will need to divide our batter into 2 fairly even portions. Since I usually use a 4 cup glass measuring cup as my mixing bowl it was simple to check when I had about half poured out. 

 

To one half of the batter add the orange extract and some orange food coloring. It doesn't take much food color to get a good orange shade. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next mix ¼ cup of chocolate chips that you have melted to the other portion of the batter. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Try to get both mixtures mixed well so there are no remaining streaks of color.

 

 

So let's talk about how to do the marble technique, for a cupcake it can be a bit tricky but the cookie scoop is the tool that makes this so much easier than it looks.

 

 I found that working on one cupcake at a time and scooping in the first batter then using your free hand to hold the liner at a slight angle and carefully placing the second scoop of batter in the opposite color it was pretty easy. When all the liners are filled use a toothpick to first make a swirl around the cupcake followed but several strokes back and forth to mix the batters ever so slightly. I did get 8 cupcakes this time but I only photographed on pan of 6 for most of the pictures here.

Bake and cool as normal.

Now on to the frosting. This month I am once again using my new favorite frosting but in a chocolate version. The biggest trick to this frosting is to be sure that the cream cheese is really smooth before you add the sugar and cocoa powder and that this mixture is really smooth before you add the cream. 

 

Then again make sure that the entire mixture is really smooth before you turn the mixer up to high. You really don't want to find lumps of cream cheese in the frosting on your beautiful cupcakes.

I used a Wilton 1A tip this time. Use whatever is your favorite. I then simply sprinkled on some fun holiday sprinkles and the cupcakes are ready for presentation.

Chocolate and Orange Marble Cupcakes

⅓ of a box of yellow cake mix

⅓ cup water

1 egg

3 ½ Tablespoons vegetable oil

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon orange extract

orange gel food coloring

¼ cup chocolate chips, melted

Start by preheating your oven to the temperature your box of cake mix calls for, mine was 350°F. Line your cupcake pan with paper liners or grease really well.

Combine the water, egg, oil and vanilla in a mixing bowl and combine well.

Add the cake mix and beat for up to 90 seconds.

Divide the batter into 2 equal portions. To one portion add the orange extract and food coloring. To the other add the melted chocolate chips.

Portion into cupcake pan adding a small scoop of each batter to each cupcake liner then swirl with a toothpick. Bake according to instructions on your cake mix. Mine was baked at 350°F for about 20 minutes.

Cool in pan for 10 minutes then move to a cooling rack and cool completely.

Chocolate Whipped Cream Frosting

3 oz cream cheese (the kind in the block not the tub) softened at room temperature

⅓ cup powdered sugar

2 Tablespoons unsweetened baking cocoa

¾ cup heavy whipping cream

¼ to ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Begin by beating the cream cheese with a mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and cocoa powder and beat on medium again until smooth, scrapping the bowl and beaters often with a spatula.

Add the vanilla to the heavy cream. With the mixer on low very slowly add the cream/vanilla mixture until all is incorporated. Scrape the bowl and the beaters often during this process so it is all combined evenly.

Turn the mixer up to high and beat until stiff peaks form.

Be sure to store the frosting in the refrigerator.

Pipe of spread the frosting onto your cupcakes as desired.

Decorate however you want to fit the occasion you will be serving the cupcakes.