Perfect Pumpkin Cupcakes

Whoops! I meant to post this yesterday but I was crazy busy and exhausted.

I don't know if I can adequately explain how awesome these are. They are just amazing. The best cupcakes ever. And they have every exciting spice under the sun...even black pepper! As opposed to pumpkin bread and the like, they are actually quite light. And of course, as with every spiced cake, they taste even better the next day. If you can, bake them the night before, cover them up to keep them moist, and frost them the next morning with a generous dollop of cream cheese frosting. Perfection!

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup firmly packed dark-brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 cups cake flour (or 1 and 3/4 cups all purpose flour + 1/4 cup cornstarch)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk mixed with 1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups canned solid-pack pumpkin


Make the cupcakes:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line cupcake pans with about 21 liners.

2. In a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugars on medium speed until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, salt, and pepper into a medium bowl.

3. Add the eggs 1 at a time to the mixer, scraping down the sides after each addition. Alternate adding the flour and milk mixtures, beginning and ending with the flour. Beat in the pumpkin until smooth. Scoop the batter among the cupcake liners — you’re looking to get them 3/4 full. Rap the filled pans once on the counter to release any air bubbles. Bake the cakes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes.
Cool the cupcakes on racks completely.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 8 ounce package of cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 and 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1.Cream together the butter, cream cheese and vanilla.
2.Blend in the powdered sugar until smooth.
3. Frost the cupcakes and sprinkle lightly with cinnamon or nutmeg.

Makes about 21 cupcakes.