Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

I am a person that gets excited for Fall very early in the year. Since it is now well into September, I am overdue to start my round of pumpkin themed baked goods. I haven't always been a fan of pumpkin, but over the past two years or so, I've developed a downright obsession with it. Anything that has even a mere hint of pumpkin in it, I'm all for. So, in celebration of the official beginning of fall a couple days ago, I decided to start off the Fall season with one of my favorite Fall (and coincidentally pumpkin themed) baked goods- Pumpkin cupcakes! I found this recipe on allrecipes.com a couple of years ago when my pumpkin obsession had started to spread its wings and its been a crowd favorite. I haven't met a single person that doesn't like these and people tend to gobble them up faster than eggnog during Christmas. So if you need a Fall treat to bring for an upcoming event, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend these!



Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
(Adapted from Javaru)

Makes 24 cupcakes

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
3/4 cup almond milk
1 cup pumpkin puree (I use real pumpkin, which significantly improves it)

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease 24 muffin cups, or line with paper muffin liners. Sift together the flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, clove, allspice, salt, baking powder, and baking soda; set aside.

Beat 1/2 cup of butter, the white sugar, and brown sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until light and fluffy. The mixture should be noticeably lighter in color. Add the room-temperature 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. Pour the batter into the prepared muffin cups.

Bake in the preheated oven until golden and the tops spring back when lightly pressed, about 25 minutes. Cool in the pans for 5 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.

While the cupcakes are cooling, make the frosting by beating the cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer in a bowl until smooth. Beat in the confectioners' sugar a little at a time until incorporated. Add the vanilla extract and ground cinnamon; beat until fluffy. Once the cupcakes are cool, frost with the cream cheese icing.