Wonderful winter.....Spicy pumpkin cupcake recipe

It's no secret that winter is my favourite season of all. I love everything about it and in my mind, it never lasts long enough. We don't really get seasonal change here...no crisp autumn leaves crunching under our feet, or blistery cold chilling days...but...we do have a large harvest of pumpkins, and the occasional rainy, hazy day when I can actually pull out a scarf and slip on my boots.

These pumpkin cupcakes make up for our lack of cold winter  with their spicy, aromatic flavour that whisks you away into a world of warm fires, hot tea and steaming chocolate drinks for the kids.  The generous amount of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves and all spice compliment the moist pumpkin, giving the cupcakes a delicious array of flavour. Perfectly indulgent chocolate  cream cheese frosting with a hint of cinnamon will leave you basking in all of winter's glory!!

Spicy pumpkin Cupcake recipe

Ingredients

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup canola or vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup sour cream

3/4 cup mashed pumpkin

3/4 cup warm water

1 teaspoon orange zest

2 cups plain flour

1 3/4 cups castor sugar

1 teaspoon each of bi carb soda and baking powder

2 teaspoons  each of cinnamon, ground ginger 

1 tsp of allspice

1/2 teaspoon each of nutmeg and ground cloves

Method

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius

Prepare two muffin trays with cupcake papers

1. Whisk together eggs, oil, vanilla, sour cream and orange zest.

2. Add cooled mashed pumpkin and warm water.

3. In a separate bowl, sift flour, add castor sugar, soda and baking powder. Add spices and mix well. 

4. Pour wet mix into dry mix and whisk together with a hand whisk until well combined. Scoop into cupcake papers until 1/3 full.

5. Bake in Moderate oven for 18 - 20 minutes or until firm to touch.Leave on a wire wrack to cool.

Makes approx 18 cupcakes

Chocolate cinnamon cream cheese frosting

125g butter @ room temperature, chopped

125g cream cheese, cold and chopped

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

150g melted dark chocolate

Approx 3-4 cups powdered icing sugar

Approx 1/2 cup 100% pure cocoa (Woolworths brand)

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Approx 1/2 cup pouring cream

1.In an electric mixer on med speed mix butter well until light and fluffy - approx 3 minutes.

2.Add cream cheese and continue to beat until smooth and creamy. Add vanilla and mix.

3. Turn mixer onto low and add melted chocolate. Add cocoa powder and cinnamon.

4. Start to add icing sugar half a cup at a time. Pour in dashings of cream as the mixture stiffens.

Continue with icing sugar and cream until you have desired consistency. 

5. Swirl chocolate frosting onto cupcakes using your favourite nozzle tip. 

Enjoy!

XXX