Cream Cheese Pumpkin Cupcakes

It is starting to feel like fall and I am craving pumpkin. Pretty much pumpkin anything, but I am pretty sure these cupcakes will fit the bill.

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 c. flour, sift before measuring
• 1 T. baking powder
• 1/2 t. baking soda
• 1/2 t. salt
• 3/4 t. cinnamon
• 1/2 t. ginger
• 1/2 t. nutmeg
• 1/2 c. butter, softened
• 1 1/3 c. sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 c. canned pumpkin
• 3/4 c. milk

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with liners (this makes about 18). In a large bowl, sift dry ingredients together and set aside.

2. Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Mix in pumpkin.

3. Alternate stirring in the dry ingredients and the milk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Scrape down the bowl and stir until blended. Spoon into liners and bake for 20-25 minutes.

4. Frost with Cream Cheese Frosting.

Creamy Key Lime Frosting

All I can say is "yum!"

Ingredients

• 1 (14-oz) can sweetened condensed milk
• 2 tsps grated key lime peel (or regular lime peel)
• 1/2 cup key lime juice (or regular lime juice)
• 1 1/2 cups whipping cream

Stir together milk, lime peel, and lime juice in a small bowl; set aside. Beat whipping cream in chilled bowl with electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form. Fold milk/lime mixture unto whip cream until just blended.

Key Lime Cream Cupcakes

Yep, another key lime cupcake recipe for you! I may have mentioned before that I am allergic to key limes, but this recipe works just as well with regular limes (which is good, because I really love the lime-y flavor!)

Ingredients

• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 pkg butter recipe yellow cake mix (18.25 oz)
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2 tbsp grated key lime peel (or regular lime peel)
• 3 eggs
• Creamy Key Lime Frosting

1. Heat oven to 350°. Line muffin cups with paper baking liners. Mix cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter in medium bowl. Place approx 1 tablespoon crumb mixture in the bottom of each paper liner. Press down.
2. Add enough water to line juice to measure 1 1/3 cups. Beat cake mix, softened butter, lime juice mixture, lime peel, and eggs in a large bowl with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Divide batter equally between muffin cups.
   
3. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched. Cool completely. Frost with Creamy Key Lime Frosting.
   

Mmmm...S'Mores

I was completely inspired by Eating Suburbia's S'More Cupcakes. It really got me to thinking about the flavors of chocolate and marshmallow together, which is really a great flavor combination (remember the chocolate marshmallow cupcakes?). The basics of a S'more are graham crackers, chocolate, and marshmallows.

Ingredients
Graham Base:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs (or about 15 crushed crackers)
1/2 cup butter, melted

Cake:
Hershey's "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Cupcake batter

Marshmallows:
Marshmallow Fluff

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line muffin pan with paper baking cups.
   
2. Mix together graham cracker crumbs and melted butter. Place about 1 tablespoon crust mix in bottom of baking cups. Smoosh to a crust-like consistency.
3. Mix up Hershey's "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Cupcake batter. Fill muffin cups about 2/3 full. Top with another tablespoon of graham cracker crust mix.
4. Place in oven and bake for 22-25 minutes, or until top springs back when lightly touched. Remove from muffin pan and cool completely.
   
5. Place Marshmallow Fluff in a piping bag. Pipe onto the top of cupcakes. Using a brulee torch, toast the tops of the marshmallow for that awesome campfire look. If you don't have a brulee torch, place under a broiler until golden and toasty looking. Yum!
   

Hershey's "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Cupcakes

These are really incredible little cakes. Just the perfect amount of chocolate. And also perfect for those S'More cupcakes as well. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups sugar
• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup boiling water
• "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING(recipe follows)

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Line 30 muffin cups (2-1/2 inches in diameter) with paper bake cups.

2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Fill cups 2/3 full with batter.

3. Bake 22 to 25 minutes. Cool completely. Frost.


"PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
• 2/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.