Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

These are perfect for the fall and holiday season. They didn't last very long when I made them the first time, so I am baking some tonight to have at my son's first birthday party tomorrow!

Pumpkin Spice Cupcake
Ingredients:
8oz canned pumpkin
1 box spice cake mix
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup water
3 large eggs

directions:
Preheat oven to 350* Mix all ingredients in a med bowl on medium for
about 2 mins. Pour mix into paper lined cupcake/muffin tray. Bake
18-23 mins, until tooth pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting:
Ingredients:
8oz cream cheese, softened
4tbs (1/3 cup) butter, softened
1tsp vanilla
16oz powdered sugar
cinnamon

Directions:
mix cream cheese, butter, and vanilla in a bowl until well mixed.
Gradually add in sugar, mixing well each time. After all sugar is
mixed in, mix in a couple good shakes of cinnamon.
(the original recipe didn't call for cinnamon, and I didn't measure it
out. I recommend adding it in gradually, and tasting after until it
has the taste you want)

Recipe: Dairy Free Banana Cupcakes (with or without dairy free frosting)

I found a recipe for banana cupcakes that my family and I love. They taste a lot like banana bread/ banana muffins if you leave the frosting off, or for added flavor you can make fruit frosting to match your taste preference!

Banana Cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup cane sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) earth balance, melted
• 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (about 4 ripe bananas)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon caramel extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
4. Make a well in center of flour mixture. In well, mix together butter, mashed bananas, eggs, and caramel. Stir to incorporate flour mixture (do not overmix).
5. Dividing evenly, spoon batter into muffin cups.
6. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a cupcake comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.
7. Remove cupcakes from pan; cool completely on a wire rack.

(recipe for the banana cupcakes was borrowed from here: Banana cupcake recipe)

For the frosting:

1/3 cup Spectrum all vegetable shortening at room temperature (I use dairy free butter)

3 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 tablespoons fruit preserves or nectar (I used fruit nectar the first time I made these and it didn't give the frosting much taste)

Optional - gluten-free sprinkles OR slices of banana to decorate

While cupcakes are cooling make frosting. Place shortening, powdered sugar, fruit nectar and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Use an electric mixer and beat on high until frosting is smooth, creamy and spreadable. If frosting seems too thick, add more fruit nectar, one teaspoon at a time, until it is a spreadable consistency.
When cupcakes are completely cool, frost cupcakes. Decorate with gluten-free sprinkles or banana slices - optional.

The recipe for the frosting was pulled and edited from here: Diary free banana cupcakes from a box with fruit nectar frosting)

Happy Baking!

So much to eat, so little time!

There is so much good food out in the world and so many recipes out there that it is hard to get through them all. I decided to create this blog as a way to record my family's favorite recipes for future reference and to share them with others out there who may be looking for something new to try, but don't want to (or don't have the time to) go through 100 different recipes to find one that is good. Every recipe that I post is one that I have tried previously and was enjoyed by my family. I will also write about all of the great places that we love to eat at and new, awesome places that we find along the way.

About the blogger: I am a wife and stay at home mom to a one year old little boy. I love to cook and bake for my family, always trying new recipes. We also love to eat out and discover new, good tasting food.

Disclosure: Most of the food that we eat is in the foothills of Northern California, but we do eat at places outside of the area at times too.