These mini cupcakes take a little time to make, but are sooooo worth it....
First, let me say that I made waaaaaaay too many and these little suckers are waaaaaaay too delicious to just eat one. THIS is my prime reason for working out as much as I do... So I can eat crap like this and not feel too guilty. Hell, I'd probably not feel guilty EVER for eating this dessert. It's THAT good. Sorry for not including a little story of our day, but I have the memory or Dory (sp?) and don't want to forget how I made these. (Yeah, I made it up... Lol if you want to, but I'm getting much better at baking so my confidence has sky-rocketed)
These mini-cupcakes are lined with a graham cracker crust. To make this, you'll need:
GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST: (oven at 300°)
7-8 CINNAMON graham crackers (go to Aldi's...it's $2 or less for a box)
6 Tbs unsalted butter: melted (I like challenger butter, but any unsalted butter will do)
1/4 cup sugar
My big helper is breaking apart the graham crackers in our food processor. Next, add the sugar. You'll turn on the food processor and mix the two ingredients together until it resembles sand. Slowly add the melted butter and pulse.
It'll look and feel like brown sugar.
You'll want to butter the bottoms of the cupcake tin (just use your finger or you can actually use the left over butter to wipe the bottoms. It doesn't need much). Then use a small spoon (as you can see, I'm using the toddler spoon, which works very well... So if you happen to HAVE a toddler spoon like this, go ahead and use it. Otherwise you're S.O.L.... Kidding, you'll be fine; use a tsp-size measuring spoon), scoop out a little of the mixture, place it in each of the tins and use the back of the spoon to push it into the bottom. You might want to also use your fingers--- nothing's worse than a crumbly crust!! Lol. (And don't toss out the extra... You'll use it for the topping)
Place in a preheated oven (300°) for 6 minutes. Remove, let cool.
While that's baking, let's get to the cupcake...
PUMPKIN SPICE CUPCAKE: (oven at 350°)
1 box spice cake mix
3 eggs
1 can pumpkin purée
1/4 cup water
I don't know why I always do this, but I do... I ALWAYS mix my wet ingredients together first. Actually, I do know why I do this--- bc I feel like it makes my cakes/muffins extra moist. So put the eggs in the bowl first and beat the hell out them. (I know you've got it in ya...) Then add the water and beat some more. Add in the pie filling and stir until it is very well blended. Now, here's where it gets a little crazy... Take your cake mix and shake it up. I'm serious. Shake it. (If you choose to add in some sweet dance moves of your own while doing this, more power to ya. I can dance; so I did, but y'all aren't ready to see me on my game yet. It'll happen though.) Add in the cake mix and blend until just moistened. There might be a couple of clumps and that's ok. Use a small spoon (not the toddler-sized spoon) and spoon mix on top of the graham cracker crust. (You do not need to spray the tins again... ) You'll want to fill these almost to the top- they will not spill over.
Bake at 350° for 10 min. (If you are making regular-sized cupcakes, add additional 5 minutes then check on them) When in doubt, use a toothpick to check it's done-ness (wow, super awesome words today). If it comes out with batter still on it, add another minute. *Remember, you can ALWAYS add time, but you can never take it away!!!
Let cool for about 5-10 minutes, then use a toothpick to pull them out.
If you're on a diet (ha, aren't we all...) you can stop here. They taste just as delicious without the cream cheese frosting.
But if you're like my family and "need" frosting... Continue reading...
PUMPKIN SPICE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
1/2 cup unsalted butter: room temperature
8 oz pumpkin spice cream cheese: room temperature (I found this gem at ALDI's of all places!)
2 tsp vanilla extract (yes, I am a vanilla snob and I love this brand of vanilla)
4 cups powdered sugar
You can do this with a hand mixer, but my husband is Italian and comes from a long line of excellent cooks, so... We have kitchen appliances out the wa-zoo... No complaints here...
Add cream cheese and butter to your mixer and pump up the speed to 8-9 until it is completely mixed. Slow the speed way down to a 2-3 and add your vanilla. Add powdered sugar in 1/2 cup increments (unless you enjoy cleaning up powdered sugar from your cabinets, counters, ears, hair... You get the picture. It MIGHT have happened when I first started cooking... Hypothetically of course) using the slowest speed.
All that's left is a taste-tester... I have 3. And they all approved... Ok now FROST THOSE CUPCAKES!! And if you have extra graham cracker crust mix, sprinkle that on too. Tastes great. Oh, and it looks great too.
This recipe makes 48 mini cupcakes. "But Becca," you say,"there are only 45 cupcakes.. Why is that?" Well, reader, this is because my husband is incapable of waiting to eat desserts. Yes, I realize he's complimenting my cooking skills, but damn it- it's infuriating sometimes. Ah, c'est la vie.
Here's the finished result:
Crap, these things are addicting. At least now I have a "go-to" dessert for pretty much any occasion. I never believed pumpkin-flavored items should only be reserved for fall...
In case you want to print out this recipe, here it is in full:
Happy Harvest Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Graham Cracker Crust and Pumpkin Spice Frosting:
GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST: (oven at 300°)
7-8 CINNAMON graham crackers (go to Aldi's...it's $2 or less for a box)
6 Tbs unsalted butter: melted (I like challenger butter, but any unsalted butter will do)
1/4 cup sugar
Preheat oven. Blend graham crackers and sugar in a food processor until it resembles sand. Add melted butter slowly and pulse mixture (it will look and feel like brown sugar). Lightly butter the bottom of each muffin tin and spoon in mixture, making sure to press firmly. Bake for 6 min. Let cool.
PUMPKIN SPICE CUPCAKE: (oven at 350°)
1 box spice cake mix
3 eggs
1 can pumpkin purée
1/4 cup water
Preheat oven. In a medium-sized mixing bowl: beat eggs. Add water and beat again. Add pie filling and mix very well. Shake the cake mix before adding it to the bowl. Mix just until blended (batter will be slightly lumpy). Do not butter again. Spoon the cake mixture into the tins and fill to the top. Bake for 10 min. Let cool. Use toothpicks to get the muffins out.
PUMPKIN SPICE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
1/2 cup unsalted butter: room temperature
8 oz pumpkin spice cream cheese: room temperature (I found this gem at ALDI's of all places!)
2 tsp vanilla extract (yes, I am a vanilla snob and I love this brand of vanilla)
4 cups powdered sugar
In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or hand mixer), combine butter and cream cheese on medium-high setting. Slow speed to low and add vanilla. Once combined, add powdered sugar in 1/2 cup increments on low speed. Frost cupcakes. Top with left over graham cracker crust mixture.
Plan on eating about 3 in one sitting and TALK about going to the gym later. The gym is a 12-step process and talking about it is step 1. Good luck ;)
