Pumpkin Cupcakes

I love these cupcakes, and I love making desserts in the Fall with pumpkin (especially when they are this easy!) They are really moist because of the pumpkin, and made healthier by a few substitutions. For example, applesauce is used instead of oil and lighter versions of ingredients are used in the frosting (light butter and Neufchatel). Both of these substitutions cut down on fat in the recipe. These are great to make anytime in fall, not just around Halloween! People will be asking for the recipe and it’s so easy that you almost do not want to tell them! I hope you enjoy these amazing cupcakes as much as I do!

Ingredients

·      1 package of yellow cake mix

·      1 ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice

·      ½ can of pure pumpkin (half of a 30 oz. can)

·      3 large eggs

·      ½ cup applesauce (plain or cinnamon, cinnamon just adds more flavor)

·      1/3 cup water

·      1 package Neufchatel Cheese

·      ½ stick of Light Butter

·      2-3 cups of powdered sugar

·      1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1.     Preheat the oven to 350* F.

2.     Line 24 muffin tins with cupcake cups (paper liners or silicone).

The cupcake papers were too cute, so I had to share them.

Both of these came in a pack together and I could not pass them up.

3.     In a large bowl or electric mixer, mix cake mix, pumpkin pie spice, pumpkin, eggs, applesauce, and water until moist.

I always crack eggs into a separate bowl, this way egg shells do not get into the ingredients.

4.     Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.

The batter comes out a little thicker than normal cake batter.

Filling a bag with the batter works very well to fill the cups without the mess!

5.     Pour the batter into the muffin cups, filling them ¾ full.

Try not to fill the cupcakes too little or too much.

6.     Bake the cupcakes for 18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the cupcake.

7.     Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes and then remove from pan and cool completely.

8.     For the frosting, cream together Neufchatel and butter.

I let the butter and cream cheese (Neufchatel) come to room temperature before creaming.

I think next time I make this I will add more powdered sugar to make the frosting a little thicker.

9.     Add the vanilla to the frosting mixture and mix.

10. Slowly add powdered sugar to the frosting.

11. Once frosting is complete, frost each cupcake.

The cupcakes come out this beautiful orange color. 

12. Decorate with sprinkles if desired.

I really liked these sprinkles; one had pumpkins and bats, the other had tombstones and then I put little ghosts on both of them!

Greta in her lobster costume!!!

Let's just say she was not a huge fan of the costume...