I suppose there’s no point in mentioning I’m way behind schedule. It’s already quite obvious. A pumpkin recipe two weeks after the Thanksgiving and well into Christmas preparations?! It’s almost unforgivable. Certain extenuating circumstances  cannot be ignored, though. Winter is not officially here yet, so I get to publish fall recipes for another two weeks. Ha!

I’ve been having some pumpkin trouble this fall, followed by a case of bad luck and then a process of trial and error, triumphing finally with this cupcake recipe. All is well that ends well, as Shakespeare once wrote. I’ll spare you the details. The only thing you need to know is that I eventually produced the fluffiest pumpkin cupcake ever.

This recipe epitomizes the ultimate pumpkin cupcake in my universe. I used sunflower oil instead of the usual butter and actually reduced the amount of fat in the recipe, which resulted in a beautifully light and fluffy cupcake. I also increased the amount of pumpkin puree in the batter and made sure not to overbake the cupcakes. They turned out super moist and tender. Just perfect.

So, I propose the following: take the ultimate pumpkin cupcake, top it with a luscious cinnamon cream cheese frosting and sprinkle with addictively sweet and crunchy candied pepitas. Then, sit on a soft and cosy armchair by an open fireplace, bite into the fluffy treat and enjoy the last days of fall.

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Pumpkin Cupcakes With Cinnamon Frosting And Candied Pepitas

Yields 10-12 cupcakes
Prep time: 30min
Cook time: 30min
Total time: 1h
Difficulty: Basic

Category: Muffins & cupcakes

Instead of butter, this recipe uses oil, which makes the cupcakes super light and moist. You can use canned pupkin or make your own pumpkin puree. Candied pepitas are optional, but they make a really nice crunch and compliment the cupcakes beautifully. The recipe makes more candied pepitas than you will need for the cupcakes, but they store well and can be served as a snack.

Fot the cupcakes:

Ingredients

140g flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
80g sugar
80g light-brown sugar
60ml neutral oil
200g pumpkin puree

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350­°C. Line a cupcake pan with paper liners.
In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and salt. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, light-brown sugar and oil. Add dry ingredients and whisk until smooth. Whisk in pumpkin puree.
Divide the batter among liners, filling each about halfway. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a wooden skewer comes out clean. Transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack and let them cool completely.

For the cinnamon cream cheese frosting:

Ingredients

200g cream cheese, at room temperature
55g butter, softened
5 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions

Place cream cheese and butter in a bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat until pale and smooth. Gradually add icing sugar, beating until combined. Finally, mix in cinnamon.

For the candied pepitas:

Ingredients

1 egg white
180g pepitas
3 tablespoons white sugar
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Whip the egg white until frothy. Add pepitas and mix them in until they are all evenly coated. In a separate bowl, combine the sugars, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Dump the mixture onto the pepitas and mix thoroughly until pepitas are all evenly covered. Spread evenly onto the lined baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Stir once halfway through. Let cool completely and break apart any pieces that have stuck together. Store in an airtight container. Sprinkle on cupcakes or serve as a snack.

Author: Monika Topolko