Pumpkin Cupcakes with Snowflake Frosting

Makes 18 cupcakes

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together, brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, and eggs. Add dry ingredients, and whisk until smooth. Whisk in pumpkin puree.
3. Divide batter evenly among liners, filling each about halfway. Bake until tops spring back when touched, and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating pans once if needed. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.

White Buttercream Frosting

• 1 1/3 cups milk (I have used skim, 2% and whole milk and all work well)
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1  1/3 cups granulated sugar
• 1  1/3 cups softened butter
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

1. Combine the milk, salt and flour in a saucepan whisking until smooth.
2. Turn the heat on high enough to bring the mixture to a boil–but, not a hard boil.  Continue whisking the entire time and boil/whisk for one minute after boiling begins.
3. Remove from heat, place this mixture in a bowl and cover with some plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming.  Allow to cool.
4. When the above mixture has thoroughly cooled you may begin the next step.
5. Cream the sugar, softened butter and vanilla with a mixer until smooth and creamy.  Add the flour/milk mixture approximately 1/4 cup at a time and whip until fluffy (approximately 7 minutes).
6. If you would like to tint your frosting add some food coloring about one minute into the final 7 minutes of mixing after adding your last 1/4 cup of the flour mixture.

You can simply frost your cupcakes or cake– or do as I did and use a pastry bag with a frosting tip and squeeze away.

hugs, mb