Confession: I may have a slight pumpkin dessert problem. Problem, as in I want to eat every single pumpkin dessert recipe I see during the holidays.
Another confession: I am a mess. I am working on my organizational skills. I am trying really hard. It is bad Feng Shui to have a pile of dishes (clean or dirty) piled up in your sink. As soon as I clean and clear out, there is another pile. I do my best.
Here is the problem: pumpkin donuts, pumpkin crumbles, pumpkin breads, and pumpkin cheesecakes. In my opinion, any thing with pumpkin is the way forward and it is all good! I told you, it is a slight problem.
adapted from David Leite
makes18 cupcakes
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar
2 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 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
Preheat the oven to 350° (175°C). Line a cupcake pan with 18 liners.
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.
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 — they should be about 3/4 cups 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.
Coffee Syrup
Ingredients
Makes enough for 18 cupcakes.
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon freshly brewed very strong coffee (or espresso)
1 ounce cinzano or marsala (you could use just the coffee/sugar too and it will be fine)
1/4 cup sugar
Mascarpone Frosting
adapted Martha Stewart
Makes about 2 cups
1 cup heavy cream
8 ounces mascarpone cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
Add the heavy cream to a medium sized bowl. With an elextric mixer on medium speed, beat the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. In another bowl, whisk together mascarpone and confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Gently fold whipped cream into mascarpone mixture until completely incorporated.
Assemblying the cupcakes:
To finish, brush tops of cupcakes evenly with coffee syrup. I only added it to the cupcakes the adults were having. God knows my children don’t need any more energy. Then pipe or spoon on the mascarpone frosting onto your little beauties (the cupcakes). Dust some cocoa powder on it. ENJOY!
Brushing on the coffee syrup:
Yum. That’s all I have to say. Oh, and thank you for reading my blog and leaving me comments. Y’all are so sweet and kind. I wish I could have a cupcake right now with each and every one of you. And giggle a little. Or alot!
You had me at pumpkin… and tiramisu. Ok, these are just pretty much the perfect cupcakes, if you ask me!
Your pumpkin cupcake with this awesome frosting sounds perfectly delicious. I bet the aroma was amazing!
Oh these look tasty! I am also a pumpkin lover, as well as tiramisu, so these look like the perfect combination! Your blog is fantastic, and so elegant! Very impressive!
Oh my goodness. These look fabulous! We love pumpkin too!