Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

A few years ago, I vowed never to buy another cake mix. Since then, I have been collecting reliable cake recipes. I made a half-batch of the recipe below with leftover canned pumpkin and was pleased with the results. By the way, I mixed the batter by hand.

Pumpkin  Spice  Cupcakes

Makes 24 cupcakes

      3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (1 5/8 c)

      2 teaspoons baking powder (1 t)

      2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (1 t)

      1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves (3/4 t)

      1 teaspoon ground allspice (1/2 t)

      1 teaspoon ground nutmeg (1/2 t)

      1/2 teaspoon baking soda (1/4 t)

      1/2 teaspoon fine salt (1/4 t)

      2 1/2 cups granulated sugar (1 1/4 c)

      1 cup vegetable oil (1/2 c)

      4 large eggs (2)

      1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin purée (about 1 3/4 cups) (7/8 c)

      Cream cheese frosting, optional

1.     Place flour, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt in large  bowl and whisk to aerate and break up any lumps; set aside.

2.    Place sugar and oil in bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until sugar is incorporated, about 1 minute. Stop mixer and scrape down sides of bowl and paddle with rubber spatula.

3.    Return mixer to medium speed and add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, about 1 1/2 minutes total mixing time. Reduce speed to medium low, add pumpkin, and beat until just combined, about 30 seconds. Stop mixer and scrape down sides of bowl and paddle with rubber spatula.

4.    Turn mixer to low speed, slowly add flour mixture, and beat until almost completely incorporated, about 1 minute. Remove bowl from mixer and fold in any unincorporated flour at edges and bottom with rubber spatula.

5.    Fill paper-lined muffin wells three-quarters full. Bake in 350°F. oven for 12 minutes. Rotate pans front to back and side to side and bake until toothpick inserted into center of cupcakes comes out clean, about 10 minutes more.  

6.    Place pans on wire racks and let them cool for 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pans and cool completely on racks. Frost with cream cheese frosting if desired.

NOTE: Half-recipe amounts in parentheses will make 48 mini-cupcakes. Bake 14 minutes.