Friday, November 6, 2009

Cinnamon Cupcakes with Pumpkin Icing


A few weeks ago, I got the itch to bake something fall-ish. I perused my ever-growing list of saved recipes, and I happened upon this one that I starred, oh about a year ago.

These cinnamon cupcakes are warm, sweet, and well, cinnamon-y. Even my picky-about-dessert husband really liked these. I made just a few changes from Annie's version - adding a pinch of nutmeg, and I omitted the orange zest because I didn't have any. I also changed the frosting from cream cheese -cinnamon frosting to cream cheese-cinnamon-pumpkin frosting. Delicious!

This a perfect fall dessert. Make them soon, you won't be sorry!


Cinnamon Cupcakes
adapted from Annie's Eats, originally from A Southern Grace
makes 12

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ¾ tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/8 tsp. salt
  • ½ cup buttermilk
  • 4 tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 2 large eggs
  • ¾ cup plus 2 tbsp. sugar
  • 1 tsp. grated orange zest (optional)
  • ½ tsp. vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 350. Line a 12-cup cupcake pan with liners, and spray with cooking spray.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Melt the butter and combine with buttermilk. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the sugar and eggs until a thick batter forms, about 5 minutes. Beat in the vanilla and orange zest, and mix until combined. Mix in the flour mixture until just combined, and then do the same with the butter and milk mixture.

Fill each cupcake liner 3/4 full, and bake 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Cool completely before icing.

For the icing
  • 6 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature (1 stick)
  • 2 Tablespoons canned pumpkin puree
  • 3-4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Cream the butter, cream cheese, and pumpkin together in a stand mixer until well combined and very smooth. Add the vanilla and cinnamon and mix until well combined. Slowly add the powdered sugar, about 1 cup at a time, until desired consistency and sweetness is reached. Frost the cooled cupcakes.


8 comments:

Mags @ the Other Side of 50 said...

I'm going to add this recipe to my "ever-growing" list. These look delicious!

Catherine said...

Cream cheese pumpkin icing sounds delicious!

sue said...

Your frosting technique is perfect! I might try this recipe myself :)

Kristen said...

I love your blog! I've been in the mood for something fall too. Do you have any suggestions for a good apple cider?

Unknown said...

Hi, my name is Grace and I'm a journalist for a student-run magazine at the University of California, Berkeley. We are doing a piece on healthy eating and your picture of Poached Salmon with Corn and White-Wine Butter Sauce fit perfectly with one of our segments. I would like to know your statement on photo usage, and if it'll be okay for us to use the image. Your website will be credited. Thank you for your time.

Cheers,
Grace

Josie said...

Kristen,
I have never made apple cider, but I do like Trader Joe's. If you have a local orchard nearby, they would probably have the freshest option!

Josie said...

Hi Grace,
Please email me at bettyjoslyn at gmail dot com

-Josie

Laura said...

This pumpkin frosting sounds amazing! I think I need to add this to my list of desserts to make at some point this week. Thanks for sharing!

Post a Comment

 
BLOG DESIGN BY: SHERBET BLOSSOM DESIGNS