Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Real life gettin' in the way!

The lack of updates are killing me! I really wish I had the time to bake weekly like I had been doing, or at least bi-weekly but ,alas, real life gets in the way. I recently got hired at a discount department store a few blocks from home and it's a full time gig so time has been scarce for me. It also isn't helping that everyone I know, friends & family alike, all want my Pumpkin Bread and I have already blogged that! :)

I am hosting a 2nd meet up in NYC this coming Saturday for Disney Geeks like me and I am planning on making some frosted sugar cookies shaped like mickey heads. Planning on it, that is, if I can get my Thanksgiving cooking done first. Thankfully we are headed to a friends house and all I need to bring is the now infamous Pumpkin Bread and some candided yams.

So happy Turkey Day everyone- eat lots of goodies for me!!!

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting & Pumpkin Spice Drizzle!!

Let me start with saying - These are WICKED AWESOME! Moving on....

we got hubby a pumpkin to carve this year but he wasn't into it, so instead we cooked that baby up and pureed our own pumpkin. So now I will be making pumpkin stuff forever, but it's my absolute favorite flavor so i'm good with that. Onto the goods....


Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

Ingredients:



2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree (I used half fresh half canned)

Yields 24 cupcakes.
Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together, brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, and eggs. Add dry ingredients, and whisk until smooth. Whisk in pumpkin puree.



3. Divide batter evenly among liners, filling each about halfway. Bake until tops spring back when touched, and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating pans once if needed. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.


I topped these awesome little spicy love cakes with my first attempt at homemade cream cheese frosting....which turned out really tasty!

I also had a bag full of Pumpkin Spice Hershey Kisses my BFF brought to me when her & her family visited from Florida in October. I thought they would make an awesome glaze/topper to these cupcakes so I had hubby help me do some unwrapping so i could melt them down.


I added a touch of cream to them and they turned into a nice consistency for drizzling. I think these cupcakes are pretty darn purdy!




They are quickly becoming one of my favorite things I have ever made. They aren't too sweet and the frosting makes them just right. I really enjoyed these and hope someone out there in blog land will make 'em!