Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

 These are the BEST pumpkin cupcakes! They are super moist with just the right amount of spice, and the cream cheese frosting is the perfect topping.

 

Ingredients

For the Pumpkin Cupcakes:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour (240g)
• ½ cup granulated sugar (100g)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 can pureed pumpkin - Libby brand preferred (425g/15-ounce)
• 1 cup vegetable oil (240mL)
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar (220g)
• 4 large eggs (at room temperature)
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

• ⅔ cup unsalted butter softened, (151g)
• 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature (225g)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• 4 cups powdered sugar sifted (480g)

Directions:

For the cupcakes:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Line 2 (12-cup) muffin pans with paper cupcake liners.
2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon. Don't skip the sifting step! It helps aerate the ingredients and makes for a lighter cake texture.
3. In another bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, oil, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla. 
4. Add the pumpkin mixture to the flour mixture, and stir just until no streaks of flour remain. Don't overmix the batter or you will end up with tough cupcakes.
5. Fill the paper liners three-quarters full with batter (about ¼ cup). 
6. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove and finish cooling on a wire rack. 

For the frosting:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Add the cream cheese. Beat on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl a few times.
2. Beat in the vanilla and salt just until combined.
3. Sift the powdered sugar into a large bowl.
4. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the powdered sugar. When fully combined, increase the speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. 
5. Place frosting in a piping bag fitted with a large closed star tip. Pipe over cooled cupcakes and decorate as desired.

Recipe adapted slightly from Preppy Kitchen