Pumpkin Cupcakes with Caramel Frosting
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 18 minutes
Serves 2 dozen
Difficulty easy
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 2 ½ C. all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. Clabber Girl® Baking Powder
- 1 tsp. Clabber Girl® Baking Soda
- 2 tsp. Spice Islands® Ground Saigon Cinnamon
- ½ tsp. Spice Islands® Ground Ginger
- ¼ tsp. Spice Islands® Ground Nutmeg
- ¼ tsp. Spice Islands® Ground Cloves
- ½ tsp. coarse salt
- ¼ C. Crisco® All-Vegetable Shortening
- 4 oz. cream cheese, softened
- ½ C. granulated sugar
- ½ C. packed brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 – 15 oz. can pumpkin
- 1 Tbsp. Spice Islands® Pure Vanilla Extract
- ¾ C. semi-sweet chocolate chips, optional
Frosting
- 1 C. Crisco® All-Vegetable Shortening
- ½ C. caramel sauce, chilled
- ½ tsp. coarse salt
- 1 tsp. Spice Islands® Pure Vanilla Extract
- 2-3 C. powdered sugar
- Caramel sauce for drizzling, optional
Directions
Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line muffin tins with paper liners or spray generously with Baker’s Joy® Nonstick Spray with Flour; set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and salt until well blended; set aside.
- In the bowl of a mixer, cream together the shortening, cream cheese, granulated sugar, brown sugar and eggs on medium speed until creamy.
- Add the pumpkin and vanilla and blend on low speed until fully incorporated.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix on low until mostly blended.
- Add the chips, if using, and finish incorporating all the flour by stirring with a spatula or spoon.
- Scoop batter into prepared muffin tins, about two-thirds full, and bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow to cool completely before frosting.
Frosting
- In the bowl of a mixer, combine the shortening, chilled caramel sauce, salt and vanilla and beat on medium speed until well blended.
- Add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, blending well until the desired consistency has been reached.
- Frost the cooled cupcakes and if desired, drizzle with more caramel sauce.