Pumpkin Walnut Cupcakes

Prep time: 20 min.  | Cook time: 20 min. | Makes 12 cupcakes

Ingredients

For the pumpkin batter:

• 1 stick of unsalted butter

• 1 cup of packed light-brown sugar

• 1 tsp of ground cinnamon

• 1 tsp of ground ginger

• ⅛ tsp of ground cloves (optional)

• 2 large eggs

• ¾ cup of buttermilk

• 2  cups of unbleached flour

• 1  tbsp of aluminum free baking powder

• ½ tsp of salt

• ¾ cup of pumpkin puree (store bought or homemade)

For the frosting:

• ½  stick of unsalted butter

• ½ cup of coconut shortening

• 3  cups of confectioners sugar

• 1 tsp of vanilla extract

• ¼ tsp of salt

• Fresh chopped walnuts (optional)

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, start measuring out the ingredients and prepare the cupcake pans with cupcake liners.

2. In the bowl (preferable of your stand mixer), mix the butter, light brown sugar and pumpkin butter until combined.

3. Add the eggs one at a time, then add vanilla.

4. Sift all dry ingredients together. Add to the wet ingredients, alternating dry ingredients and milk. Mix until well combined.

5. Scoop batter into prepared cupcake pan.

6. Bake for 20 minutes. Let cool for 20 minutes before removing from cupcake pan.

7. Make frosting while the cupcakes are baking. Mix butter and shortening until combined.

8. Add vanilla and salt

9. Make sure mixing speed is on low, add confectioners sugar a cup at a time. Mix until well combined.

10. Once cupcakes are cool, fill a piping bag with frosting. Cut about 1 inch off of the tip of the bag and frost the cupcakes.

11. *Optional - Sprinkle walnuts or any preferred nuts to garnish.

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Tips

• Make sure all your ingredients are room temperature. When ingredients are brought to room temperature air gets trapped in the batter during the mixing process. The trapped air expands while baking and makes your cake fluffy.

• Invest in an oven thermometer to avoid over/ under baking. Over time oven get “temperamental” and the degrees tend to be off by a few.

• Don’t over mix. Once the flour and liquids mix gluten begins to form making the batter hold shape. If you mix too much then too much gluten forms and you’ll end up with a tough pie of cake.

• Make sure to let the cupcakes completely cool before covering with frosting.

• Another version of these Pumpkin Cupcakes are replacing the liquid for Pumpkin Beer for enhanced flavor. OF course the alcohol evaporated as it bakes but the cupcake has a more dense texture - and the house smells amazing!  

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A Visual guide, with photos by cayla torres