The Fall is all about pumpkins.  Pumpkin picking, pumpkin carving, pumpkin muffins and today, Pumpkin Spiced Cupcakes!

I have been so busy that I hadn’t started to think about pumpkin recipes until last week when my colleague forwarded me a recipe for pumpkin muffins with a note asking “can you make me this?”

It got the wheels turning.

I am not a chef or a pastry chef or anyone with any official expertise in baking other than time spent doing it, reading about it, talking about it and now writing about it.  When a recipe isn’t mine, I’ll always give credit where credit is due.

I adapted the following recipe from epicurious.com turning cake into cupcakes with a more simple frosting that is the perfect mix of sweet and spicy Fall flavors in one little package.

Start by whisking together

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder

And then add the spices:

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

Using electric mixer, beat together 1 15oz can pumpkin, 1 1/2 cups of sugar, and 1 1/4 cups of vegetable oil in another large bowl.

Whole Foods Market makes a great canned pumpkin.

Add 4 large eggs 1 at a time, beating to incorporate between additions. Add flour mixture; beat on low speed just to blend and then pour into paper lined cupcake trays.

Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes until golden brown on top and a tooth pick inserted comes out clean.

The icing is simple.

1 8oz package of cream cheese, 1/2 stick of butter, 2 to 4 cups of powdered sugar depending on the consistency you like and a couple of table spoons of low fat milk.

The secret to beautiful icing, let the cream cheese and butter sit out on the counter until they are very soft before blending all the ingredients in the mixer.

As always, let the cupcakes cool completely before you frost.

These cupcakes were delicious.  The cake is moist and rich without being too dense and the icing is creamy and sweet.

The recipe was a test for a potential Thanksgiving dessert. I shared them with friends all over the city to get a full set of reviews before I commit to making them for my favorite holiday. We’ll see what the critics have to say…

Have a favorite pumpkin recipe? Tell me what it is!