Simple Saturday - Spiced Pumpkin Cupcakes

Since Thanksgiving is next week, (WHAT????) I thought I would share this wonderful cupcake recipe. These cupcakes are moist, delicious and simple to make. The cream cheese frosting is topped with toasted and sugared pecans. My mouth is watering just thinking about sinking my teeth into one of these babies. This is the perfect dessert for your children to help with and all will enjoy eating them. I prefer to make my own frosting so I have added a recipe for that too. Mmm...

Thank you Betty Crocker!

Prep Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings: 24

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

3 tablespoons sugar

1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® yellow cake mix

1 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)

1/2 cup water

1/3 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1 container Betty Crocker® Rich & Creamy cream cheese frosting *

Step 1

Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups.

Step 2 

In heavy 8-inch nonstick skillet, cook pecans and 2 tablespoons of the sugar over low heat about 8 minutes, stirring constantly, until sugar is melted. Spoon and spread pecans onto sheet of waxed paper. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar; toss.

Step 3

In large bowl, beat cake mix, pumpkin, water, oil, eggs and pumpkin pie spice with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups (about two-thirds full).

Step 4

Bake 19 to 24 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Step 5

Frost cupcakes with frosting. Sprinkle edge of frosted cupcakes with pecans; press lightly into frosting. Store loosely covered.

Step 6

Watch them disappear as everyone devours a cupcake.

* For those of you who would rather make fresh cream cheese frosting here is a recipe for that.

INGREDIENTS 

• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter until creamy. Mix in the vanilla, then gradually stir in the confectioners' sugar. Store in the refrigerator after use.