Cupcakes Spread Love

I don't think I know anyone who doesn't love cupcakes.  A couple of days ago I cracked open a giant-sized can of pumpkin to make pumpkin bread, and needed to find a recipe to use up the extra pumpkin.  My answer:  cupcakes!!!!  And what with it being Easter and all of the birthdays at my work this week, cupcakes were perfect!

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes:

-2 c. all purpose flour
-1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
-1/2 tsp. baking soda
-1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
-1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
-1/4 tsp. ground cloves
-1/4 tsp. ground ginger
-1/4 c. (half a stick) butter or margarine, softened
-1/4 c. shortening (if you don't have shortening, just do 1/2 c [full stick] of butter/margarine)
-1 1/2 c. sugar
-1/2 tsp. vanilla
-2 eggs
-1 c. butter milk*
-1/2 c. canned pumpkin

*Don't have buttermilk?  No worries.  For every one cup of butter milk your recipe calls for, substitute sour milk.  Use one cup of regular milk with 1 tbsp of either lemon juice or vinegar stirred into it.  Let it sit for 5 minutes, and you are good to go!

Preheat oven to 350.  Stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger in a dish.  Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and shortening on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.  Add sugar and vanilla.  Beat until well combined.  Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl to make sure they are fully incorporated.  Alternately add buttermilk, pumpkin, and dry mixture.  Make sure that each ingredient is thoroughly incorporated before adding the next (this makes the batter smooth). 

Line cupcake pans with liners or spray with cooking spray.  Fill each cupcake well about 1/2 full. 

Bake for 18-20 mins, or until golden brown and toothpick inserted in middle of cupcake comes out clean.

*please excuse my dirty oven, I bake A LOT*

Look how pretty!!  I frosted these with cream cheese frosting and then decorated with Easter sprinkles/toothpicks I found in my cupboard.  Everyone at my work seemed to love them!  Enjoy!

Some adaptions to this recipe:  If you want to make it into a large cake, instead of cupcakes, spray your desired pan (2 8" or 9" round, 13x9, whatever) with cooking spray.  Pour batter into pan (evenly into the 2 round pans), and bake.  A 13x9 cake will take 35-40min, round cakes will take 30-35.  Insert a toothpick into the middle of the cake to check for doneness.