Baker's Delight: Pumpkin Cupcakes

My husband's favorite cake is pumpkin spice and so it is an annual tradition for his October birthday. This year, I decided to switch it up and develop a new recipe. I think we might have a new favorite! Instead of a cake, I made cupcakes (adapting a recipe from allrecipes.com) and filled them with a maple cream and then frosted them with a cinnamon maple buttercream. I considered just making a cinnamon frosting but when I tasted it, I thought the maple syrup would be a good element to add...and it was. These take a little bit of time and effort but they are worth it!



PUMPKIN CUPCAKES w/Maple Cream Filling & Cinnamon Maple Buttercream Frosting
Print This Recipe

2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tb. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 c. white sugar
1/3 c. brown sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 c. milk
1 c. pumpkin puree

Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners. Combine together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, clove, allspice, salt, baking powder, and baking soda; set aside.

Beat butter and sugars with an electric mixer in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, allowing each egg to blend into the butter mixture before adding the next. Stir in the milk and pumpkin puree after the last egg. Stir in the flour mixture, mixing until just incorporated. Divide the batter into the prepared muffin cups (I use an ice cream scoop).

Bake in the preheated oven until golden and the tops spring back when lightly pressed, 20- 25 minutes. Cool in the pans for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack. While still a little warm gently hollow out a portion in the center of each cake (I used a cylinder to remove the centers).

While the cupcakes are baking and cooling, make the filling and frosting (recipes below). Once the cupcakes are cool, fill with the maple cream and frost.

FILLING

4 oz. cream cheese, softened
3 Tb.  pure maple syrup, divided
1/3 c. heavy whipping cream

Using an electric mixer, mix the cream until light and fluffy. Add 2 Tb. maple syrup. In a separate bowl, whip the whipping cream until soft peaks form. Add 1 Tb. maple syrup and continue whipping until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the maple whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture. Chill until ready to fill.

FROSTING

1/2 c. butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 Tb. pure maple syrup
4 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 c. milk (may need a little more)
pinch of salt

Cream butter, vanilla, and maple syrup until light an fluffy. Add sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Slowly add milk until desired consistency is reached.