What to Do With a Can of Pumpkin Part II

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

Makes: 24 cupcakes
                                                     
1 (1-pound 2.3-oz) package pudding-included yellow cake mix   
1 cup canned pumpkin                                          
1/2 cup water                                                 
1/3 cup oil                                                   
3 eggs                                                        
1 teaspoon cinnamon                                           
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg                                           
1 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips                          

Cinnamon Frosting:                                            
2 teaspoons cinnamon                                          
1 (16-ounce) can vanilla frosting                             

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Line 24 muffin cups with paper baking cups. In large bowl, combine all cupcake ingredients except chocolate chips; beat at low speed until moistened. Beat 2 minutes at high speed. Fold in chocolate chips. Fill paper-lined muffin cups 3/4 full.

2. Bake at 350°F. for 15 to 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 5 minutes. Remove from pan; cool 20 minutes or until completely cooled.

3. Stir cinnamon into vanilla frosting. Frost cooled cupcakes.

These are so tasty! Light and really moist (probably due to the cake mix) but definitely one of my new favorite cupcakes. These did not last long in our house! For the cinnamon frosting, I actually used some leftover cream cheese frosting I had already made the week before and just stirred in some cinnamon (I used more than 2 teaspoons, probably more like 2 tablespoons to get it cinnamony enough for my taste buds).

This is just a random recipe that came with my cookbook program so it might be a Pillsbury recipe or might not. I don't have a real way to attribute it but I can't take credit for it myself. :)

Things to Do With a Can of Pumpkin: Part I

I had a can of pumpkin I opened to try in my morning oatmeal. I kept hearing how good it would be so I was excited...yeah, not so good. I was disappointed but then set on a mission to find other fun new recipes to use with the remainder of the pumpkin.

Part I

First, I tried out these Pumpkin Muffins. If it's any indication how good they are, I don't have any photos because we ate them so fast! So moist and light and yummy! This made it onto my list of favorites pretty quickly.

Pumpkin Muffins

Serves: 12
Source: Gourmet Magazine

1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1 1/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Put oven in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Put liners in muffin cups.

Sift together flour and baking powder.

Whisk together pumpkin, oil, eggs, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, 1 1/4 cups sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl until smooth, then whisk in flour mixture until just combined.

Stir together cinnamon and remaining 1 tablespoon sugar in another bowl.

Divide batter among muffin cups (each should be about three-fourths full), then sprinkle tops with cinnamon-sugar mixture. Bake until puffed and golden brown and wooden pick or skewer inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.

Cool in pan on a rack five minutes, then transfer muffins from pan to rack and cool to warm or room temperature.

Stay tuned for Part II coming soon!