What Christmas Is Really About #6 Pumpkin Cupcakes

A homely dessert for your Christmas meal, Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting. These cupcakes can be prepared two or three days before your Christmas meal.  Stored in covered container in your refrigerator until ready to use.

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Joy of Baking
(16 cupcakes)

Ingredients
195gm all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
113gm unsalted butter,room temperature
200gm granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
180ml pumpkin puree

Cream Cheese Frosting
113gm cream cheese, room temperature
30gm unsalted butter. room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
175gm confectioners sugar

Garnish 110gm pecans or walnuts



Method

• Preheat oven to 350F(180C).  In a large bowl, sift together the flour,baking powder,baking soda,ground spices, and salt.
• in the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides of the bowl> With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and pumpkin puree, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.
• Fill in the muffin cups evenly with the batter using two spoons or an ice cream scoop. Place in the oven and bake for about 18-20 minutes, or until firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center of one of the cupcakes comes out clean. 
• Place on a wire rack to cool.

Cream Cheese Frosting

• In the bowl of your mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth.
• Add the butter and beat until incorporated and smooth. Add the vanilla extract and confectioners sugar and beat until fluffy (2-3 minutes).
• Pipe or spread the frosting on the cupcakes. Sprinkle with toasted nuts.

Note: I omitted the ground cloves and reduced granulated sugar to 180gms and confectioners sugar to 120gms. For pumpkin puree, I used butternut squash, slice and steam for 10 minutes till soft. Blend to make puree.

Your complete easy to prepare intimate Christmas meal for six

Cured Salmon with Avocado Puree

Grilled Squid On Bagedil With Tamarind Sauce

Buttermilk Chicken Drumsticks

New Orleans Coleslaw

Strawberry Balsamic Pizza with chicken and Bacon

Pumpkin Cupcakes

                                        Blessed Christmas

'Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.'         James 1:17