Pumpkin Cupcakes

More pumpkin? Yes more pumpkin baked goods. I just can't help myself. When I was researching recipes for my pumpkin muffins, I also stumbled on a gluten-free pumpkin cupcake recipe that I just had to try.

Although the core of this recipe is pumpkin puree like the muffins, the brown sugar in the batter and the cream cheese and maple syrup frosting really bring this recipe to the next level. The cupcakes were so moist and the frosting so decadent...that you will have to try them even if you are not gluten-intolerant.

Ingredients

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup brown sugar, packed


2 Tbsp honey


2 large eggs


1 teaspoon vanilla extract


1 15oz can pumpkin puree


2 cups Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-free flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder


1 teaspoon baking soda


1/2 teaspoon salt


3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 cup buttermilk

Frosting ingredients:

8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature


1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature


1/4 cup maple syrup


1 ½-2 cups confectioner's powdered sugar, sifted

Directions:

Cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 350°F, and place rack in the center of the oven.

2. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter, brown sugar and honey, until as light and fluffy as it will be, about 2-3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the pumpkin puree and vanilla and beat until incorporated.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices. Add the flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to the pumpkin batter, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.

4. Set paper cupcake holders in a muffin tin. Spoon the batter into the cupcake paper cups, close to the top of the cups. Bake approximately 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cool completely before frosting.

Frosting

5. Using an electric mixer, mix together cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add maple syrup and confectioners' sugar and mix to combine. Once cupcakes have cooled, apply frosting.

Makes 16 cupcakes.