Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Cinnamon Buttercream

A few weeks ago our visiting teacher brought us a small pumpkin perfect for pumpkin puree! So I found a great recipe from Pioneer Woman  on how to make homemade pumpkin puree that was super easy! Since we're not really pie fans unless it's Christmas or Thanksgiving, I decided to make a pumpkin cupcake! 

I made my own spice mix but you could use a pre-made pumpkin pie spice for these also. I didn't have any on hand and it was super easy to just make some from the spices I had available. 

I started with 1 cup of pumpkin puree and then added more to taste. You could add more or less, it's up to you and your preference. 

I decided to go with a cinnamon buttercream ad topped them with some sprinkled brown sugar. Yumm!

  

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Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

Ingredients

Cupcakes:
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground ginger

1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
3 tbsp. brown sugar
1 box white cake mix
1/2 cup melted butter
1 cup heavy cream 
4 eggs
about 1 1/2 cups homemade pumpkin puree 

Frosting:

1 can buttercream

2 tsp. vanilla

2-4 tsp. cinnamon

¼ cup heavy cream

4-6 cups powdered sugar

Directions

Cupcakes:

1.     Preheat oven to 350º, line cupcake pan with paper liners

2.     In a small bowl mix the cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg. (You can also use Pumpkin Pie spice if you have it on hand)

3.     Add the brown sugar to the spice mix and mix well.

4.     In the bowl of your stand mixer, mix on low the cake mix and spice/brown sugar mix.

5.     Melt butter and set aside to cool

6.     Add heavy cream and butter to dry ingredients and mix on medium

7.     Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition

8.     Mix on medium about 60-90 seconds until well mixed

9.     Fold in pumpkin puree

10.  Divide batter between cupcake pans, filling about 2/3 full

11.  Place cupcake pans in oven and immediately turn oven down to 325º

12.  Bake for 30-35 minutes

Frosting:

1.     Add buttercream, vanilla, cinnamon and heavy cream to the bowl of your stand mixer

2.     Beat on low until well mixed

3.     Add powdered sugar and mix on low, add more or less powdered sugar based on desired consistency

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