Pumpkin Cupcakes with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

Dear all three of you,

I will not attempt an apology for being absent these many weeks. But I will offer a string of excuses.

I usually blog while at the beach. But a hurricane made us evacuate after two days and I was too grumpy to bake or do much of anything when we got home. Stupid Earl.

Then we spent three glorious weeks in France, Austria, and Germany, plus a few weeks prepping and a few weeks decompressing. No time for blogging.

Then I got sick. Then hubby got sick. Then I got sick again. Which means no baking.

But here I am! It's the best time of year for baking! Apples and pumpkin and chocolate, oh my!

I promise to make it up to you—again, all three of you. Let's start with this recipe... one promised to me for several years from my friend M, but it was oh so worth the wait. It was a "viral recipe" passed around her mom's elementary school with cute illustrations provided. If the kids can make it, so can you! They are simple but so moist—for the pumpkin lover. Sorry there are so few pictures... they got eaten quickly!

xoxo,
inkpadchocolate

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting
2 c. sugar
2 c. flour
2 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
2 t. ground cinnamon
3/4 c. vegetable or canola oil
15-oz. can cooked pumpkin
4 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 18 muffin cups with paper liners. Combine sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients and beat 1 minute.

Fill lined muffin cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake at 350 for 20–25 minutes or until tops spring back when lightly pressed. Cool slightly in the pans, then transfer cupcakes to a cooling rack.

Orange Cream Cheese Frosting
8-oz. package cream cheese (reduced fat is fine), at room temperature
1/4 c. plus 2 T. butter, at room temperature
1 T. orange juice
1 t. vanilla extract
1 3/4 c. powdered sugar

Beat cream cheese and butter in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add orange juice and vanilla—mix well. Gradually add powdered sugar and mix until well combined.

Frost cupcakes when they are completely cool.