Mini Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Vanilla Maple Frosting

Isn't it weird when we make the transition from one season to the next how people just aren't quite sure how to dress? Some people kind of cling on to the last little bits of summer and wear shorts and a t-shirt while other people fully embrace the cold and skip fall altogether. These are the people who ride around on a bike bundled up like the Michelin Man in 60 degree weather. When I see people like that, I'm concerned for the days when a Minnesota winter actually happens. I'm not really sure how they'll see....or move.

I feel like I have a pretty good grip on fall...in fact, I am a self-proclaimed fall-clinger. I burn "fall" candles year-round, I love the fall color palette, I am most DEFINITELY one of those people who refuses to transition out of fall...until summer of the following year AND I am all about fall foods; Crock pot- friendly stews & soups, roasts, apple crisp and pumpkin anything. I love it.

Admittedly, I never used to appreciate spice-flavored desserts. I mostly equated a good dessert with a decent bit of chocolate being involved. I haven't grown out of chocolate but I definitely have developed a liking for spice-flavored desserts. Especially ones with cream cheese frosting.

Here's a little bite-sized welcome to fall: Mini Pumpkin Cupcakes with Vanilla Maple Frosting. The keyword there is "mini". The definition is mini is: have two for the price of one. Please note that this recipe makes a huge batch. If you'll only be serving a few people, you can half this recipe or the extras can be easily frozen until you need them. I put mine in a freezer bag and put that bag inside another freezer bag and they kept great. I would recommend waiting on the frosting until you thaw them.

Mini Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

Makes 6 dozen mini cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 2 c. flour
• 1 (3.4 oz) pkg. instant butterscotch pudding mix
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tbsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
• 1 c. (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
• 1 c. sugar
• 1 c. brown sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a mini muffin pan or place a paper liner in each cup.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, pudding mix, soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger & cloves. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars until light & fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating vanilla & pumpkin in with last egg. Stir in flour mixture, mixing just until incorporated.

Pour batter into prepared muffin cups. Bake 14-16 minutes or until tops are golden and spring back when lightly pressed. Cool in pan 10 minutes and transfer to rack to cool completely.

Vanilla Maple Frosting

Ingredients:

• 1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese, room temperature)
• 1/2 c. (1 stick) butter, melted
• 1 tsp. vanilla 
• 1/4 c. pure maple syrup
• 1 tsp. ground cloves
• 2-3 c. powdered sugar
• 1/2 c. flour (optional)

Instructions:

In a large mixing bowl, mix cream cheese and butter until light & fluffy. Add vanilla, maple syrup and cloves and mix well. In 1 c. increments, add powdered sugar. I added the 1/2 c. flour just to thicken it a bit so it would pipe nicer without adding extra sugar. Mix until light and fluffy. Spread on cool cupcakes. Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon or cloves if desired. Enjoy!

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