Week 17: Pumpkin Patch Cupcakes

I wanted to make something seasonally appropriate this week, so turned to Martha Stewart's Cupcakes in search of a pumpkin recipe.  Despite the ridiculous marzipan pumpkins she added, this recipe sounded perfect to me.  I'm actually disgusted by the texture and flavor of marzipan, so I skipped the toppers.  And, you know, I really didn't want to spend my entire weekend creating little pumpkins to top my cupcakes.

Here's Martha's version:

And here's my version:

Do you suppose any of my co-workers will ask where the marzipan pumpkins are?  Now that I think about it...I sort of hope they do.  I have plenty of answers to that question.

Lessons learned and recipe thoughts:

1. The cupcake batter was thicker than I was expecting.  I was very happy to have my trusty old-fashioned ice cream scoop on hand for dropping batter into each cupcake liner.

2. To save your kitchen from looking like you dropped a bag of flour on the counter, cover your mixer with a kitchen towel after each addition of flour.

3. To prevent the buttermilk from splashing out of the mixing bowl, use a spatula to lightly stir it in before turning your mixer back on.

4. I wish I had thought of 2 and 3 before my first addition of flour and first addition of buttermilk.

5. I continue to have great love for my Martha Stewart's Cupcakes cookbook.  I've now tried three recipes from this book, and have yet to be disappointed.

Martha Stewart's Pumpkin Patch cupcakes


4 cups cake flour (not self-rising), sifted
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2-1/2 cups packed light-brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1-1/2 cups canned pumpkin puree (not pie filling)

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners.  Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices.

2. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and brown sugar until pale and fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.  Reduce speed to low.  Add flour mixture in three batches, alternative with two additions of buttermilk, and beating until just combined.  Add pumpkin puree; beat until just combined.

3. Fill cupcake liners three-quarters full.  Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until golden brown, 15-18 minutes.  Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 10 minutes; turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely.  Cupcakes can be stored in fridge up to 3 days in airtight containers.

4. To finish, use an offset spatula to spread frosting on cupcakes.

Martha Stewart's Cream-Cheese Frosting
Makes 4 Cups

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 pound (4 cups) powdered sugar, sifted
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:

With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter and cream cheese until fluffy, 2-3 minutes.  Reduce speed to low.  Add sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, and then vanilla, and mix until smooth and combined, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.