Pumpkin Week Day 5: Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcakes

It has been a full week of pumpkin inspired recipes and I couldn't think of a more fitting recipe to round it out with. There are few things I enjoy more than a warm pumpkin spice latte during the fall months. With that in mind, these cupcakes are heaven!

Recipe yields 12 cupcakes

Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
3 tbsp espresso powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup canola oil
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Frosting:
1 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp confectioners' sugar

Toppings:
Caramel sauce
Cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a cupcake tin with cupcake liners. In a large bowl combine sugars, pumpkin, oil and vanilla extract. Beat with a hand mixer until well combined.

Add the eggs to the mixture one at a time and beat for a few seconds in between. Once combined, mix well until fully incorporated.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, espresso powder and salt.

Gradually add the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients and beat until batter is just combined.

Fill each cupcake liner roughly 3/4 of the way up. Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes or so.

Check the cupcakes with the clean toothpick test. If ready, remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the tin and allow to completely cool on a wire rack.

While the cupcakes are cooling, you can prepare your frosting. In a small bowl, add heavy cream and sugar. Whisk vigorously until thick and stiff peeks start to form (if your arm starts to burn, feel free to use the electric mixer).

Frost the cupcakes and then top with drizzled caramel sauce and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Serve to your fellow pumpkin spice latte lovers. Enjoy your masterpiece!

A big thanks goes out to Carmine for the wonderful cupcake icing. Who knew he was a professional cupcake decorator?