Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice

When I think of fall I think: PUMPKIN EVERYTHING. Restaurants all around town bring out their signs that say “Pumpkin (insert food or drink) is here!” My personal favorite is Pumpkin Spice Lattes but I also have a major sweet tooth for baked goods.

I consider myself a baker, not a cook, a baker. I like to bake cookies, cakes and pies, I leave the other food groups to my roommates. My most recent experiment was pumpkin spice cupcakes. I found the recipe on pinterest, which is where I seem to be getting all my baking ideas from lately. I scrolled through my options and found what appears to be the easiest option. 

Besides the basic cookies supplies that you’ll need (spoon, cupcake tins, measuring spoons), you will also need the following ingredients:

• 1 Package Yellow Cake Mix
• 1/2 c. Granulated Sugar
• 1/2 c. vegetable oil
• 1 can pumpkin (15 oz.)
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 4 eggs
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tub Cream Cheese Frosting

When I went the grocery store was in the process of setting up its holiday displays, but by now you should be able to find everything in one place. You should see a huge mound with some sort of cornucopia décor, that’s your target.

I will admit the spices were a bit pricey, but I plan on making this recipe more than once, so the cost will eventually even out.

Once you get home put on your favorite holiday tunes and get ready to bake. 

• First Preheat oven to 325 degrees F
• Then get your baking tins prepared and line then with cupcake liners.
• In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, sugar, vegetable oil, vanilla, pumpkin, water, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and eggs.   
• Beat until well blended.  Transfer to the cake pans.
• Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 min.  or until it springs back to the touch.

 I personally stick to the toothpick method. Poke your cupcake with a tooth pick and if it comes out without batter sticking to it when you pull it out, then the cupcakes are ready.  

• For the finishing touch, frost with your favorite cream cheese frosting.

Just a tip for icing your cupcakes: use a Ziploc bag as if it was a piping bag. Just turn it inside out and then scoop out the icing as if you were wearing the bag as a glove. Then turn the bag right side out. Zip it shut. And then snip a small hole in the corner. You now have a homemade piping bag, that will make your cupcakes look like you spent more time on them than you actually did.