Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cinnamon-Cream Cheese Frosting

OH. MY. GOD.

I'm going to have trouble writing this post for two reasons. First, these cupcakes were so beyond delicious that I don't know if there are any words I could use to describe how amazing they are. And second, I'm having trouble stopping myself from eating them long enough to type this post!

Although it is still August, I'm getting antsy for the fall season to get here. I love fall! The changing colors in the leaves, fall seasonal beers (♥ Sam Adams Octoberfest!), football, caramel apple cider, and ALL THINGS PUMPKIN! I was having a particular hankering for pumpkin this past Sunday, so I thought I'd get a jump start on the fall season and go ahead and make some yummy pumpkin cupcakes. What an excellent decision that was!

The cupcake recipe I used included a salted caramel buttercream frosting, and while I'm sure that would be really good, I wanted a cream cheese frosting. Below I'll list both websites where I got each recipe. The cupcakes turned out perfect! They have just the right level of moisture - just moist enough that you want to melt where you're standing when you take a bite, but not so moist that it sticks to the roof of your mouth or in your teeth. And the flavor - oh my, the flavor! The pumpkin flavor really stands out, but not overly so. Sometimes pumpkin flavored things can be much too sweet, but that isn't the case here. And the frosting recipe I used paired perfectly with the cupcakes! The frosting is also not overly sweet, and the flavors of both the cupcakes and the frosting blend together beautifully. My mouth is watering just thinking about them... Oh wait that's right, we've almost already eaten them all!

You need to make these ASAP! I'm demanding it! :-)

Pumpkin Cupcakes

Yield: about 18 cupcakes

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled.
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice; set aside.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, and eggs. Beat on medium speed until well combined. Add dry ingredients, and mix on low until smooth. Fold in pumpkin puree.
3. Divide batter evenly among liners, filling each about halfway. Bake until tops spring back when touched, and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating pans once if needed. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.

Cinnamon-Cream Cheese Frosting

1 pkg. (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
1 pkg. (16 oz) powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1. Beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla in large bowl with mixer until blended. Gradually beat in sugar. Blend in cinnamon. Spread over cupcakes.