Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

1 box Betty Crocker yellow cake mix
1 sm box vanilla instant pudding
1 cup pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie mx)
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Whisk cake mix and pudding together, then add other ingredients and mix on low for 30 seconds.  Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full and bake at 350 degrees for 15- 20 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then remove to cooling rack until completely cooled. Frost/pipe with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting.
Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
2 8oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1 stick butter, softened
2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 tsp. maple extract
8 cups powdered sugar
Cream together butter and cream cheese. Add vanilla, syrup and maple extract. Mix in half of powdered sugar. Add remaining powdered sugar until desired consistency. Add additional maple extract in small increments to obtain desired maple flavoring. Add syrup to thin frosting, add powdered sugar to thicken. To pipe onto cupcakes, it should be thick enough so as not to drip off the beater. I dusted the tops of my cupcakes with cinnamon.