SMS: Pumpkin . . . Cupcakes?

Nothing signals fall like a good pumpkin recipe!  These recipes remind me of heavy blankets and cracking leaves—and of course, good eats.  So, of course, I was very excited to see that this week’s SMS recipe involved pumpkin!

This week’s SMS recipe was chosen by Debbie of Everyday Blessings of the Five Dees.  The original recipe was for pumpkin cookie cakes with cream cheese frosting, but I decided to make pumpkin cupcakes instead!  Be sure to check out her scrumptious blog for the pumpkin recipe!  And don’t forget to go drool over all the other SMS’ers mouthwatering creations.

I usually buy canned pumpkin, but I thought I’d be adventurous and make my own pumpkin puree.  It’s too simple!  Buy yourself a nice 5-6 pound sugar pie pumpkin, cut it in half and get to work de-seeding!  Once you’ve scooped out all that gunk, lay your pumpkin halves cut-side down and roast for 1.5 hours at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.  Once you’ve roasted the pumpkin, flip the halves over onto a cooling rack to cool completely.  Once cool, scrape the pumpkin “innards” into a food processor and puree away!  You’ll have about 2 cups of pumpkin puree to show for your efforts!

*If you save the pumpkin seeds (after you’ve cleaned them), toss them into the 400 degree Fahrenheit oven to bake for the last 10 minutes, while your pumpkin roasts.  Set the seeds aside to cool and use them for a pumpkin seed brittle (recipe below).

These cupcakes are divine!  We’re talking moist, fluffy spice cake with a wonderfully orange hue.  A subtle hint of molasses adds depth of flavor, while cinnamon and nutmeg give the cupcakes that “homey” feel.  To top it all off: a sweet and spicy cream cheese frosting.  And, of course, add a little texture with a sprinkling of pumpkin seed brittle.  Delicious!

For the cupcake recipe, follow the recipe for “cookie cakes” posted on Debbie’s blog.

 

Top the cupcakes with cinnamon cream cheese frosting:

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

1 oz package cream cheese, softened

1 stick butter, softened

1 1/2 – 2 cups loosely packed powdered sugar

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Cream cream cheese and butter together until light and fluffy.  Add the powdered sugar and cinnamon and mix until a smooth frosting forms.  (Add more or less powdered sugar to suit your sweet tooth.)

Top each cupcake with a piece of pumpkin seed brittle.

Pumpkin Seed Brittle

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 TBS water

1 TBS corn syrup

Pumpkin Seeds, roasted for 10 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit

Mix sugar, water, and corn syrup together in heavy sauce pan.  Bring mixture to a boil and allow to boil until the mixture turns amber in color (approximately 8 minutes).  Remove the sugar mixture from the heat and toss in the pumpkin seeds.  Stir to coat each pumpkin seed and then spread the mixture onto a greased baking pan to cool.  Crack the brittle into pieces and use to top each cupcake.