Pumpkin Cupcakes with Fluffy Cream Cheese Frosting and Candied Pecans {Recipe}

Pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting... nothing beats that!
This recipe has a fluffy cream cheese icing, though, and it is so rich and tasty, it's worth the extra effort.
Top it off with a candied pecan (or a candy corn pumpkin for the kids), and you're set.

What You Need:
For the Cupcakes:
3 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
3 tsp. cinnamon (or pumpkin pie spice)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
½ cup melted butter
½ cup apple sauce
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
4 eggs (at room temperature)
½ cup buttermilk (or soured milk- ½ Tbsp. vinegar + ½ cup milk)
1- 15 oz. can of pumpkin puree (NOT pie filling)

For the Icing:
4 egg whites
1 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. Vanilla
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter
1- 8 oz. block of cream cheese

For the Pecans: 
2-3 cups pecan halves (or other nuts)
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2-1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
either 1 Tbsp. meringue powder + 3 Tbsp. water OR 1 egg white + 1 Tbsp. water

Yield: About 30-40 standard cupcakes


Make the Cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 350-degrees.

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the 3 cups flour, 2 tsp. baking soda, 2 tsp. baking powder, 3 tsp. cinnamon (or pumpkin pie spice), and 1 tsp. salt.

In the bowl of a mixer, combine 1 tsp. vanilla, ½ cup melted butter, ½ cup apple sauce, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup brown sugar.
Add eggs one at a time. Mix well after each egg.

Add half of the flour mixture and mix well.
Add the milk. Mix well.
Add the other half of the flour. Mix well.
Add the pumpkin. Mix well.

Measure into lined cupcake pan with 1/4 cup measure or dough scoop. Bake for 15-18 minutes at 350-degrees, until cupcake springs back with touched gently on the top.

Make the Candied Pecans:
Preheat the oven to 225-degrees.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.

In another mixing bowl, whisk together the meringue powder and water (or egg white and water) until fluffy and frothy.

Add the nuts, and stir to coat them well.

Pour the nuts into the sugar mixture, and stir to coat.

Spread them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake them for 45 minutes to an hour, stirring every 15 minutes or so, or until the coating is dry, not sticky.

Let them cool on the baking sheet before using to top the cupcakes, or storing them.

Make the Icing:

Begin by wiping down a heatproof bowl, whisk, beaters, and candy thermometer with a paper towel dampened with lemon juice or vinegar. (This will help your meringue whip up higher.)
Set a saucepan with about 1-inch of water in it over medium heat to simmer.

Combine 4 egg whites and 1 cup sugar in the cleaned bowl. Place the bowl over the simmering water. Heat the egg white mixture, stirring constantly, until it reaches 160-degrees (F) on a candy thermometer. This is the food-safe temperature for raw eggs.

Remove from the heat. Whip on the highest speed with a hand or stand mixer for 4-8 minutes, or until stiff peaks form.

Add vanilla, butter and cream cheese, and whip again (on the highest setting) for 5-10 minutes until the icing comes together in a stiff, creamy mixture. (It should hold its shape when stirred when it's ready.)
*If you use a stand mixer, switch to the paddle attachment for this step.

Assemble the Cupcakes:

Pipe a mound of icing on top of the cupcake using a large round tip (I used Wilton Tip #1A), or using a plastic bag with a round hole cut in it.
(You will get a much more defined and pretty icing mound if you use a tip, but the cut bag would work as well.)

Top with a candied pecan...

Or, for the kids, I made them in mini-size, and added a candy corn pumpkin. The kids loved them!

Click the Links Below to See:
Pumpkin Cake Pops
Pumpkin Cheesecake Cake
Caramel Apple Cupcakes 

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Pumpkin Streusel Cheesecake Bars {Recipe}

I love cheesecake bars. I've made Strawberry-Rhubarb Cheesecake Bars, Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars, Cranberry-Gingerbread Cheesecake Bars. And now, Pumpkin Streusel Cheesecake Bars

What You Need:
For the Crust & Topping:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup chopped, toasted pecans
1 tsp. salt (if using unsalted butter)
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 cup unsalted butter, chilled

For the Filling:
2- 8 oz. block cream cheese (at room temperature)
1 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

Note: I think I would like to have more filling, but my husband and children insist this is enough. If I double it, and like it, I'll report back.
** Update: I 1.5-ed the filling, and I think it was PERFECT. That used 3 blocks of cream cheese, 1 15-oz. can pumpkin, 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, 3 eggs, 2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice... and it baked for an hour. Awesome yumminess!

Yield: 30-40 2" square bars

Make the Crust/Topping
Preheat the oven to 350-degrees (F).
*Note: You will divide this crust mix in half - half for the top, half for the bottom. I write this reminder up high so that I can remember myself, because I forgot recently, and put the whole batch in the bottom and into the oven before realizing my mistake.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine flour, toasted pecans, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt (only add the salt if using unsalted butter).

Mix in the butter (cut into small pieces) with mixer or with a 'pastry cutter' until pea-sized crumbs form.
Pour about half of the mixture (about 2 1/2 cups) into a 9x13" pan lined with parchment paper.

Press the mixture into a tight crust on the bottom of the pan. Bake for 10 minutes while you make the filling.

Make the Filling

Combine room-temperature cream cheese, pumpkin, spices and brown sugar in a mixing bowl. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy.
Add eggs, one at a time, adding the vanilla with one of the eggs. Mix each egg well until the batter is again light and fluffy.
Set aside.

Remove the bottom crust from the oven (after 10-15 minutes).
Pour the cheesecake mixture over the crust.

Top with the remaining crust/topping mixture.

Bake for 45-55 minutes at 350-degrees (F), or until the topping is golden brown and the bars don't seem too wiggly in the center when you shake the pan.

Refrigerate at least 3 hours to allow the cheesecake to set before slicing into bars.

Enjoy!

Click the Links Below to See:
Fantastic Pumpkin Cake Recipe
Pumpkin Cupcakes with Fluffy Cream Cheese Frosting
More Fall/Pumpkin/Apple Recipes

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Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Fluffy Cream Cheese Icing {Recipe}

Carrot Cake. We compromised and made these cupcakes, instead.

What You Need:
For the Cake:
2 cups peeled, grated carrots (about 4-6 carrots)
3/4 cup buttermilk (at room temperature)
1/4 cup applesauce
1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
1 Tbsp. vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 cup butter (at room temperature)
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup (granulated) sugar
3 eggs (at room temperature)
Optional:
1/2 cup flaked coconut, toasted
1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted

For The Icing:
1 8 oz. brick of cream cheese (at room temperature)
1/2 cup butter (at room temperature)
2 tsp. vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar

Yield: 24-30 cupcakes

If you choose to use it, start by toasting the pecans and coconut. Spread the flaked coconut and pecans onto a rimmed baking sheet, and place into a 350-degree oven for 5-7 minutes, checking it and stirring (or shaking) it every 2-3 minutes. When the edges of the coconut start to turn golden brown, remove the pan from the oven.
Finely chop the coconut and the pecans. Set aside 1/3-1/2 cup for topping, if desired.

Leave oven at 350-degrees to bake the cupcakes.
 

Wash and peel the carrots. You need to grate 2 cups of carrots with the small side of a box grater or a microplane grater. In a large measuring cup or bowl, combine the carrots, buttermilk, applesauce, vanilla and drained pineapple. Set aside.

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, spices, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter, sugar and brown sugar until it is light and fluffy.
Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well with each addition, and scraping down the bowl in between.

Starting with the flour, alternate adding the flour mixture with the carrot mixture. (flour- carrots- flour- carrots) Mixing well with each addition.

Scoop 1/4 cup batter into each prepared cupcake cup.
Bake at 350-degrees (F) for 15-20 minutes or until cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let cool completely.

Make the Fluffy Cream Cheese Icing

Cream together the cream cheese and butter in a mixing bowl. Add the vanilla, mix well. Add the powdered sugar about 1 cup at a time. Mix completely.
To make the icing fluffy, once the powdered sugar is completely mixed in, turn the icing on high speed and whip for 2-3 minutes.

To make the dollop of icing on top of the cupcake, I used a piping bag and Tip #2A. For the nuts & coconut-topped icing, simply dip the top in the mixture.

These cupcakes get a big thumbs up from my guys!


Click the Links Below to See:
Carrot Cake Recipe
Pumpkin Cupcake Recipe
More Fall/Halloween/Thanksgiving Baking Ideas

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Farewell to 2013! {Giveaway} - WINNER!

2014 could be your lucky year! I'm starting it off with a little giveaway, and a quick review of my favorite recipes and ideas from the last year.

10. Mini Chocolate Pies

9. Red, White & Blue Bunting Cake

8. Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes

7. Half-Birthday Half-Cake

6. Kentucky Derby Cookies

5. Chocolate Roll-Out Cookies

4. Banana Split Dessert Bars

3.  Pumpkin Cupcakes with Fluffy Cream Cheese Icing

2.  Cranberry-Gingerbread Cheesecake Bars

1. How NOT to Make a Polka-Dot Cake (And How-To)

(This cake also rocketed up to the most popular post ever on my site!)

Now, it's your turn!

You can win this Wilton Tool Caddy to hold all of your decorating tools:

photo courtesy wilton.com

And to get your collection started, I'll throw in this 18-piece decorating set, as well:

photo courtesy wilton.com

 Total giveaway value: approx. $58.

WINNER is #16: Jenny Sireno! Congratulations!

You have three chances to enter.
ALL ENTRIES MUST BE MADE IN SEPARATE COMMENTS ON THIS POST ONLY.

#1- Leave a comment telling me: What are you most looking forward to in 2014?

#2- Let me know that you get my emails, or "like" me on Facebook, or are a "follower" of the blog.

#3- Share or link to this post on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest (or all three), and let me know that you did so.

The Info:
This giveaway will be open until 6:00 am (Central Time) Saturday, January 4, 2014.
I'm sorry, but it is only open to those U.S. Residents (because other countries have too many rules about giveaways) who are 18 years-old or older.
You must put your name (and email address) in your comments. I can't trace anonymous comments.
I will announce the winner - chosen by a 7-year-old pulling a number out of a hat - by noon the same day.

The Fine Print:
I bought these gifts myself, with my own money. No one gave me anything for this post.

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