Butternut Pumpkin Cupcakes
MAKES: 12 CUPCAKES
Ingredients:
For the Cupcakes:
1 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch of ground nutmeg
Pinch of ground cloves
¾ cup mashed cooled butternut pumpkin
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup dark brown sugar
½ cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
For the Icing:
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
225 g cream cheese, at room temperature
2 ½ tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
½ tsp ground cinnamon
4 cups icing sugar
Directions:
Preheat oven to 180ºC. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with patty pans; set aside.
In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, bicarb, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves; set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, both sugars and the vegetable oil until completely combined, making sure to break up any chunks so no lumps remain. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time. Add the flour mixture in two additions, folding with a spatula.
Divide the batter between the patty pans, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Allow to cool in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before icing.
To make the icing use an electric mixer on medium-high speed to beat the butter until fluffy. Add cream cheese, vanilla and salt and continue to beat for an additional 2 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add cinnamon and icing sugar gradually and mix until smooth and combined, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 1 to 2 minutes.
Ice the cupcakes and decorate as desired. These can be kept in the fridge for up to 4 days.