Pumpkin Palooza

Thanks to an awesome Joy of Baking recipe, I made some DELICIOUS pumpkin cupcakes yesterday.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups (195 grams) all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup (200 grams) granulated white sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3/4 cup (75 grams) solid packed, canned pumpkin puree 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Place rack in the middle of the oven. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners or spray each cup with a non stick vegetable spray.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, ground spices, and salt. 

In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and pumpkin puree, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.  

Fill the muffin cups evenly with the batter using two spoons or an ice cream scoop. Place in the oven and bake for about 18 - 20 minutes, or until firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center of one of the cupcakes comes out clean. Place on a wire rack to cool.

Instead of making icing, I used store-bought whipped cream cheese icing and added toasted walnuts.  I love the simple yet elegant look of the white icing and nuts.

Since I was using a huge can of pumpkin, I made pumpkin bread with the rest.  It passed J's taste test.

The pumpkin bread joined the pumpkin cupcakes, cayenne and cheddar potato chips, tortilla chips and salsa, and chili dogs (not pictured) as our indoor tailgating spread for yesterday's sad, sad Gator football game.

But regardless of the game outcome...

In all kinds of weather, we'll all stick together... for F-L-O-R-I-D-A!

UF vs. Arkansas game on 10/17/09