Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

When Abby needed me to make some cupcakes for her choir concert, I thought I'd give these babies a try.  A little risky to try a new recipe out on others, I know.  They seemed promising though.  My instincts were right.  They were a real winner and completely devoured.  The cupcake is so moist and has nailed the perfect pumpkin, spice combination.  And then the cinnamon cream cheese frosting seals the deal.  This is a fall time treat must!
 

Cupcake Ingredients:

3/4 cup butter softened

2 1/2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 can (15 ounces) solid-packed pumpkin

2 1/3 cups flour

1 TBS pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp ground cinnamon

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1 cup butter milk (or mix 1 cup of milk with 1 TBS of lemon juice or vinegar)

Frosting Ingredients:

1 - 8 oz package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup butter, softened

4 cups confectioners sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tsp ground cinnamon

cinnamon sugar to sprinkle on top

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.  Line 24 muffin cups with cupcake liners.  In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add pumpkin.  Combine the flour pie spice, baking powder, cinnamon, salt baking soda and ginger.  Add to the creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition.  Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full.  Bake for 20-25 minutes.  Cool completely before frosting cupcakes.

For frosting, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy.  Add the confectioners sugar, vanilla and ground cinnamon.  Beat until smooth.  Frost cooled cupcakes then sprinkle with sugar cinnamon.  Refrigerate leftovers.  Yield: 2 dozen

*Source:  Taste of Home