Pumpkin cupcakes

I know!!!  It's been a very long time but things got crazy and honestly I just got lazy.  But it's the holidays and my favorite time of year!  So first off what I did for Thanksgiving - Pumpkin Cupcakes!

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, sift before measuring
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/3 cups sugar
2 eggs, beaten until frothy
1 cup mashed cooked or canned pumpkin
3/4 cup milk


Preparation:

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg into a bowl. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy; beat in eggs. Blend in mashed pumpkin. Stir in the sifted dry ingredients alternately with the milk, blending until batter is smooth after each addition; stir in chopped walnuts or pecans. Spoon batter into well-greased and floured or paper-lined muffin pan cups. Fill about 2/3 full. Bake at 375° for 25 minutes, or until a wooden pick or cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Frost with cream cheese frosting, whipped cream, or leave plain. Makes about 24 cupcakes.


Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
• 3 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and cream cheese on medium speed until light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add confectioners' sugar, beating just until incorporated. Add vanilla and cinnamon until well combined. Increase speed to medium high and beat until frosting is light and fluffy, approximately 1-2 minutes.
• Use a small offset spatula or a pastry bag fitted with a decorative tip to frost cupcakes, garnished with pumpkins candy, if desired.