Pumpkin Spice Cupcake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Another wonderful co-worker’s birthday was this past Thursday. At the beginning of this year, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. The amount of strength this woman has is amazing! She continued to come to work without stop, always with a smile on her face and never letting us “baby” her. So this birthday celebration was an extra special one in my book. To celebrate our lovely Cheryl’s birthday and the month of October, being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I gave the cupcake a little pink touch.  Cheryl had requested a pumpkin cupcake, and I thought that a nice cream cheese frosting would go well with it. To give the cupcakes the pink look, I added streaks of pink coloring gel to the piping bag (the same technique I used for my 4th of July cupcakes), which gave the frosting a nice rose-like look, if I may say so myself. J

Pumpkin Cupcake

Ingredients:

1 package (18.25oz) spice cake mix

1 can (15oz) solid-pack pumpkin puree

4 eggs, at room temperature

½ cup butter, softened at room temperature

½ cup buttermilk, at room temperature

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Line 2 regular-sized muffin pans (24 cupcakes total) with cupcake liners. In a large bowl, beat the cake mix, pumpkin puree, eggs, butter, and buttermilk on low speed for 30 seconds until well blended. Then beat on high speed for 2 minutes. Fill each cupcake liner with batter 2/3 way full. Bake in pre-heated oven for 12-15 minutes until done. To check for doneness, insert a toothpick in the middle of the cupcake. If the toothpick comes out clean, the cupcakes are done!

Cream cheese frosting

Ingredients:

8 oz. cream cheese

8 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature (1 stick)

2 tsp. clear vanilla extract

1-2 tbsp heavy cream

3½-4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

Pink gel for piping bag

Directions:

Combine the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer.  Beat on medium-high speed until well combined and smooth, about 2-3 minutes.  Mix in the vanilla extract.  Gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar until totally incorporated, increase the speed and then beat until smooth.  Frost cooled cupcakes as desired.


Adapted from Fall Baking Cookbook, Taste of Home 2010.