Pumpkin Cream Cheese Cupcakes

It is the time of year that I love. The cool crisp air in the mornings. The leaves that will soon be turning colors. The slower pace of life after the busy pace of the summer months.

But one of my favorite things is the flavors I think of when I think of fall - apples, pumpkins, and spices like cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and the list goes on. Fall just seems to be the right time of year to bake those spice cakes, apple dessert, and pumpkin desserts. I came across a recipe in a Kraft magazine that was for a pumpkin cream cheese cupcake.

When I saw the recipe for pumpin cupcakes the title drew my attention, but after reading the recipe I saw that it called for a cake mix. I had my mind set on making a cake from scratch so I decided to make my own version of this recipe, but with a cake batter made from scratch.

The cake was very moist and I loved the combination of spices that were in the cupcakes cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. The spices gave the cupcakes a lovely flavor.

The cream cheese filling stayed at the top of the cupcakes even though I swirled the mixture into the cupcake, which was a disappointment. The next time I make these I would put the cream cheese filling in the middle by putting some of the cake batter in to the liner and then some of the cream cheese filling and then top it off with some more batter. I think that this would work out much better.

The Carmel frosting topped off the cupcakes quite nicely. It complemented the pumpkin and the spices that were in the cupcakes.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Cupcakes:
2 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup pumpkin
3 eggs
3/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 cup butter

1. Mix sugar, brown sugar, and butter until well blended

2. Mix eggs into the sugar mixture until it is light and fluffy

3. Add pumpkin and milk mix until well blended

4. Sift the all the other dry ingredients together and add to the mixture and mix for about 2 minutes.

Filling:
8 ounces cream cheese
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1. Beat the cream cheese until creamy.

2 Blend in sugar, egg, and vanilla.

Assembling cupcakes:

1. Fill the cupcake liners about the 1/3 of the way full.

2. Spoon a heaping teaspoon of the filling over the top of the cake mix

3. Cover the cream cheese filling with enough cake batter so the cupcake liner is about 2/3 full.

Bake at 350 degree oven for 20 to 24 minutes or until a tester is inserted in the center and comes out clean.

Carmel Frosting:

1/4 cup butter
2/3 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup cream
3 to 3 1/2 cups of powder sugar

1. In sauce pan melt butter.

2. Add brown sugar and cream and bring to a boil. Boil for about a minute stirring constantly.

3. Take off heat and let cool until this mixture is slightly warm

4. Add  powder sugar until it is the right consistency to spread.

5. Frost cupcakes and enjoy.

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