Soul-warming Spiced Cupcakes

From the Everyday FOOD magazine of Martha Stewart.
This was the perfect combo of a nice pumpkin/cinnamon sensation. Not too overpowering, just right.

Cupcakes
-2 Sticks Unsalted Butter (make sure it is always room temp.)
-1 1/2 C. AP flour
-1 1/2 tspns. coarse salt
-1/2 tspn. cinnamon (I added a pinch more ;)..
-1/2 tspn. ground nutmeg
-1/4 tspn. ground cardamom
-1 C. light brown sugar
-2 Large eggs (also room temp.)
-1/2 C. whole milk
-1 oz. unsulfured molassus
-2 oz. canned pumpkin
-1 tspn. baking soda

*Combine all dry ingredient, sifted all together. I reccommend sifting and then adding it onto a sheet of parchment paper. Then when the time comes to add your dry goods, you fold it (think taco)..and distribute it into the mixing bowl, for a nice quick non-mess-of-a-clean-up!) ;)

-Pre Bake @ 350...grease and flour the pans (dump excess flour out, better yet..CONSERVE!)

*Combine butter + brown sugar, beat on high until light and fluffy)
*Add eggs, one at a time..until both combined. Using spatula to scrape along the sides of bowl.
*Turn your mixer down to a (2) Add your dry goods, nice and sifted together, in three additions. Btwn. each addition, pour your milk in. Beat well!
*Lastly, add your canned pumpkin, mix a bit, just until all combined.


- - Add cupcake mix into your cupcake pan - -
*(Sprinkle some sugar on top of batter just for a great first impressionable bite)*


*BAKE 12 - 15mins. until goldren. Rotate your pan in middle of baking. :)
NOW..Martha says, a citrus glaze works well with these here cucpakes. I believe they do, really. But I was in the mood for some cream cheese frosting instead..Here is my recipe I put together. Both adding and subtracting from various recipes.


My Cream Cheese recipe

-8oz. Cream cheese
-1 Stick. Unsalted Butter (Cut into cubes, left @ rm. temp.)
-1 C. Confect. Sugar, sifted.
-1 1/2 tspn. Vanilla extract.

*Combine cream cheese and sugar. Beat until fluffy, add in your cubes of Butter, combine once again!..Then lastly, for your tastebuds, the lovely appearance of Vanilla extract!..

You can add in some color now if you'd like! I added orange.

Pipe onto your desserts with a piping bag! (I used a Tip #6)..or just a plastic ziplock with a big enough hole at the bottom corner will do..

These are so savory and yummy, just plain without the frosting!..

ENJOI!