Pumpkin Time

I hate making cupcakes, infact I think they've only been featured twice on the blog. These cupcakes however are so easy and so ridiculously good I don't mind whipping them up. They only require 4 ingredients, one of which is pumpkin.

Matt mentioned something to me in July about how he couldn't wait for the fall so we could eat these. I told him we didn't have to wait for the fall, I had a can of pumpkin and could whip some right up. He insisted that pumpkin is a fall ingredient so I had to wait.

Another reason these are awesome: they are low calorie. The first time I ever had them was at a food day at work. A coworker brought some in and said they were only 50 calories a cupcake. She said this is her mom's recipe and she doesn't know where it originated or if they really have 50 calories, but let's just pretend they do...

I'm obsessed with the special edition Hershey's Kisses. Matt and I love the Pumpkin Spice Kisses and I thought it would be a good idea to use some in this recipe. I drizzled melted Pumpkin Spice Kisses over the top of the cupcakes and put half a kiss in some of the cupcakes. The result... Amazing! The cupcakes themselves are rich, chocolate, and moist and have a dense texture thanks to the pumpkin. The kisses just throw the flavor over the top. We loved it!

So on this glorious 85 degree fall day I baked my first pumpkin goodie of the season:

50 Calorie* ChocolatyChocolateChip Cupcakes.
*we're pretending... remember!?



My adaptions in italics

1 Box Devils Food Cake Mix (do not prepare)
1 15oz can Pumpkin
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup chocolate chips
Pumpkin Spice Kisses, melted
Pumpkin Spice Kisses, halved

Mix all ingredients (except Kissses) in a medium bowl. Spoon into paper cupcake liners. Bake at 350degrees for 16 - 18 minutes.

I stuck half a kiss in some of the cupcakes before I stuck them in the oven. I made sure to cover the top of the kiss with additional batter. When the cupcakes had cooled, I drizzled melted Pumpkin Spice Kisses over top.



This makes 16 - 24 cupcakes depending on how much batter you put in each liner. I made 24 cupcakes, but wish I would have put more batter in each liner and had fewer, bigger cupcakes. I had forgotten these don't rise very much.

Also a note from Matt, he says: "we don't bake the cupcakes all the way. Take them out of the oven when they are still a little bit gooey so you get the full effect of the rich goodness". (I took them out at about 13 or 14 minutes

I have an addiction

An addiction to baking. I can't help it. Since Sunday at 2pm I've whipped up: Strawberry Almond Bars, Coconutty Brownies, PB Cookies, and Banana Cupcakes with Honey-Cinnamon Frosting. And that list doesn't include the 2 pizzas we also made. I'm. A. Freak. My addiction wouldn't be quite as bad if I didn't have such a sweet tooth. (Good thing I also have an addiction to working out!) I must be making up for all the times I was too busy with school to bake.

Last night around 7 we were just hanging out and all the sudden these cupcakes popped in my head. I saw them on my Google reader last week and starred them right away. I hopped off the couch and told my husband I had to bake them. My excuse was that I'll bring them to my mom's house this weekend. This probably wasn't a very smart choice. I don't think cupcakes travel very well, especially 3 hours and 45 min. I thought about making this a cake instead, but the hubs wanted cupcakes.

Matt LOVED these, (I'm talkin a 9.5 rating) especially the frosting. I didn't care for them quite as much, but I don't care for frosting at all. (I'm gonna go with a 7.5 - although I may like them more today, you know how it is when you bake something and it's never quite as good after you've been baking. It always tastes better the next day. I may have to edit this after lunch.) I was hoping the honey and cinnamon would help, but it still tasted pretty buttercreamy. These are supposed to bake for 25 - 30 min. I did mine for about 18 and I feel like they are almost dry, I also think next time I make these I'll add something to the mix to give them a little more flavor.

Update: I'm definitely giving these a higher score. I just had one and it was delicious! I think an 8.5 will do! :)

Banana Cupcakes with Honey-Cinnamon Frosting
Source: Good Thymes & Good Food




1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (about 4 ripe bananas), plus 1 whole banana, for garnish (optional)
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
4. Make a well in center of flour mixture.
5. In well, mix together butter, mashed bananas, eggs, and vanilla.
6. Stir to incorporate flour mixture (do not over mix).
7. Dividing evenly, spoon batter into muffin cups.
8. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a cupcake comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.
9. Remove cupcakes from pan; cool completely on a wire rack.
10. Spread tops with Honey-Cinnamon Frosting (see below)
11. Just before serving, peel and slice banana into rounds, and place one on each cupcake, if desired. Makes 12 (I had 16)

Honey-Cinnamon Frosting
1 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon honey
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon I added about 1 tsp

Directions
1. In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat confectioners' sugar, unsalted butter, honey, and ground cinnamon until smooth, 4 to 5 minutes.

A Camp Fire Favorite

Last Saturday in my hungover state I was looking at food blogs. I came across the blog of Sew Darn Cute. She had some phenomenal looking S’mores cupcakes . Now, I HATE making cupcakes but just had to try these.

S'mores Cupcakes



For the cupcake part use your favorite chocolate cake mix or make one from scratch. For the frosting:

2 or 3 sticks butter, room temperature
2 cups confectioner's sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
16 oz. tub of marshmallow cream

Cream the butter on high until it's light and fluffy. Add the confectioner's sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, and beat until fluffy each time. Beat in the vanilla until incorporated. Dump in the marshmallow cream and mix it up 'til it's all creamy. Transfer to pastry bag and pipe onto cupcakes. I don't have a pastry bag so I just cut the corner off a Ziploc bag - it worked great.

The tops are dusted with graham cracker crumbs, and each cupcake is topped with a square of Hershey's chocolate.

*For better pictures check out Sew Darn Cute's blog

Last night when I was finished mixing the frosting I tasted it and thought it was too buttery. I added a little more marshmallow and a little more powdered sugar and it was perfect.

I brought these over to my in-laws today and everyone seemed to like them. I had a cup cake last night and it was good but, I think they tasted better today. I could really taste the marshmallow. Yum!