Friday, January 29, 2010

Day 24: Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

I read somewhere that the difference between a muffin and a cupcake, is that cupcakes have fancier clothes and better accessories.

I'm not sure why it took me so long to make cupcakes with my pumpkin puree... since cupcakes are sort of what got me into the blogging world. I suppose I didn't wanna come off as predictable. Because I assure you, I am anything but predictable. Aside from the fact that I get up every morning at 6:15 (except Sunday's when it's 5:15 -- see, you didn't see that comin'...I'm unpredictable), pop out of bed, take a shower, go downstairs, start the coffee, go back up stairs, pull out the lotion and the hair gel, put on my (previously chosen) underpants, black dress pants (sometimes I mix it up with grey), shirt, socks and shoes (in that order, thank you very much), walk to the bathroom, set out the same five pieces of makeup, have a morning po...

You know what, TMI...I'll stop right there.

What I'm getting at is this... predictability is underrated. There's something to be said about knowing how your day is going to end. Why do we celebrate those risk takers... those folks that live by the seat of their pants... those youngin's that don't know and don't care, what tomorrow brings?

Probably because, at the end of the day, they wear cuter clothes and better accessories.

*sigh*

So, here's the predictable Pumpkin Cupcake (but check out her accessories!):

2 Cups all-purpose flour
1 Teaspoon baking soda
1 Teaspoon baking powder
1 Teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 Teaspoon nutmeg
1 Cup packed light-brown sugar
1 Cup granulated sugar
1 Cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
4 Large eggs, lightly beaten
1 Cup pumpkin puree
1/2 Cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 350* and line your cupcake pan. In the new mixer you got for Christmas... (yep, still rubbing that in!) mix together brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, and eggs. Add dry ingredients, and mix until smooth. Add and mix on low, the pumpkin puree and sour cream. Fill your liners about 3/4 full (they will mushroom a bit, but I like that look... if you don't, reduce the amount in each liner to 1/2, and you should get a pretty even cake). Bake about 18-20 minutes or until your tester comes out clean.

While they're cooking, make your cream cheese frosting. You'll need:

1/2 Cup (1 stick) butter, room temp
1 Package cream cheese, room temp (a helpful hint: if the butter or the cream cheese is too cold, your cream cheese won't cream properly and will be "lumpy")
1 and 1/2 Teaspoon vanilla
1 Lb. powered sugar

Mix all this together... and mix it good.

While that's mixing, chop some walnuts. They're good for your heart... Omega 3's and all that.

And this is what you'll get:



















Not bad (we'd both give them an A-) for predictability. Don't knock it.

2 comments:

  1. WOW... we learned Much more about cupcakes on this one Sis.
    Boy do i wish Emily was not allergic to dairy for this one is Right up her alley. Zoe and i might still have to give it a shot. Look better than the doggie treats for sure...

    won't bother to list my regular day...not AS predictable...one of those risk takers, which i call a Parent...CRAZY

    Scotty

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