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.