PUMPKIN SPICE CUPCAKES W/ CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

I have to admit, I am not a huge sweets person.  I would much rather have a big bowl of mashed potatoes and gravy than a piece of chocolate cake.  That being said...I just made a dessert for our annual Halloween party that won me over BIG TIME!  I found a recipe in a Taste of Home magazine for Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes w/ Cream Cheese Frosting.  Let me tell you....these cupcakes are heaven wrapped up in a small little package!  In fact, I loved them so much, I had two of them the night that I made them.  Yes, I am pregnant....but I think even if I was not pregnant I still would have had two of these pumpkins.  I then had one the night of our party and then I had one the following night as well.  So the cupcakes won this battle - Cupcakes- 4 , Kara-0!  If you are looking for one must have recipe for the upcoming holiday season please look no further.  You could probably even use the batter to make a cake as well.  I cannot brag enough about these cupcakes.  Make them once and you will be hooked!


PUMPKIN SPICE CUPCAKES W/ CREAM CHEESE FROSTING 

• 3/4  cup butter, softend
• 2 1/2  cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 can (15 oz.) solid pack pumpkin
• 2 1/3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 TB. pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tsp. bkg. powder
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1 cup buttermilk

Frosting:

• 1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add pumpkin.  Combine the flour, pie spice, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, baking soda and ginger, and to the creamed mixture alternately with the buttermilk, beating well after each addition.
2. Fill paper lined muffin cups three fourths full.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
3. For frosting, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy.  Add the powdered sugar, vanilla and cinnamon, beat until smooth.   Frost cupcakes.

* Makes about  2 dozen cupcakes
** I suggest you keep them in the fridge since they have cream cheese.