Pumpkin Cupcakes with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

Light and fluffy pumpkin cake with a tangy, creamy frosting... oh man I'm in trouble here! So delicious and delectable.

One note: The frosting recipe I used made too much frosting. I could probably ice another half batch with the leftovers, so I will need to figure a way to adjust it or make more cupcakes next time.

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1 cup butter, melted and cooled

4 eggs

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/3 tsp ground nutmeg

1-15 oz can pumpkin puree

For the frosting:

8 oz. cream cheese, softened at room temperature

1/2 cup butter, softened at room temperature

1 cup confectioner's sugar

1/4 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp maple flavor or 2 tsp. real maple syrup (the flavor will be more subtle)

In a small bowl, melt butter in the microwave. Let cool.

Preheat oven to 350. Line muffin tins with cupcake liners.

In a medium bowl combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg and stir well.

In a separate large bowl, measure sugars and pour butter over. Beat the eggs slightly in the bowl you melted the butter in. Add to other wet ingredients and mix.

Add dry ingredients and mix in, scraping sides with a spatula.

Add pumpkin puree and stir. Batter will be thick.

Fill cupcake liners about 2/3 full.

Bake for 15-18 minutes or until fork comes out clean.

To make icing, in a medium bowl combine softened butter and cream cheese. Mix well.

Add confectioner's sugar and mix.

Add vanilla and maple flavor.

Stir well and cool in the refrigerator until all batches of cupcakes are finished. Wait until the cupcakes are completely cooled before frosting. Makes about 30 cupcakes.