Pumpkin Cupcakes

I think I might be a little late jumping on the pumpkin bandwagon this fall, but at last I do have a pumpkin recipe to share... just in time for Halloween! And this one is totally worth wait.

It had been a while since I'd brought goodies to work, and my coworkers were beginning to wonder if my oven was broken... so last week on my switch over night I whipped these little guys together. As much as I wanted to make something sweet I also wanted to make something seasonal, so pumpkin seemed like a no-brainer. Plus, who can pass up a cupcake?

Well, needless to say, these were a huge hit. The pumpkin really gave these an amazingly moist texture and wonderfully sweet flavor... it reminded me more pumpkin pie than of cake! At first I decorated a few of them with a pastry bag and a lot of frosting, but I found that I liked them better with a light smearing instead, so that the cake took center stage rather than the topping. (You can always, of course, frost them however you like.) But however you choose decorate, just make sure you put them on your Halloween party menu! As easy and delicious as these are, there's really no good reason to pass these up. Trust me, your guests (and your taste buds) will thank you!

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
adapted from Food Network.com
yields 36 cupcakes

Ingredients
For the Cupcakes
4 eggs
1 2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 cup canola oil
one 15-ounce can of pumpkin
2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda

For the Frosting
one 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups confectioners sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions
For the Cupcakes
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cupcake tin with paper liners or grease and flour.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the eggs, sugar, oil, and pumpkin, beating until light and fluffy. Sift together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture slowly while mixing on low speed. Mix until combined and the batter is smooth.
3. Divide the batter among the prepared cups. Bake 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cupcakes comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the Frosting
1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Slowly add the powdered sugar, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally, until all of it is beaten in and the frosting is smooth. Add the vanilla and mix again. Frost the cupcakes as desired.