Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

These cupcakes are perfectly spiced and moist. The cream cheese frosting adds a touch of sweetness and the nut topping a nice crunch. I made them for a bake sale at my son's school and they were gone. Fast. We didn't even get one... So we went home and I made another batch the next day! Happy Halloween!

Makes 12 cupcakes

For the cupcakes:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour = 125 g de farine
• 1 teaspoon baking powder = 1 cuillère à café de levure
• ½ teaspoon baking soda = ½ cuillère à café de bicarbonate de sodium
• ½ teaspoon salt = ½ cuillère à café de sel
• 1 ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon = 1 ¼ cuillère à café de cannelle
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger = ¼ cuillère à café de gingembre en poudre
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg = ¼ cuillère à café de noix de muscade en poudre
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves = ¼ cuillère à café de clou de girofle en poudre
• 2 eggs = 2 oeufs
• 1 cup pumpkin purée (canned or homemade) = 245 g de purée de citrouille
• ½ cup (packed) brown sugar = 100 g de cassonade
• ¼ to ½ cup sugar = 50 à 100 g de sucre
• ½ cup vegetable oil = 120 ml d'huile végétale

For the frosting:

• 4 oz. cream cheese, softened = 110 g de cream cheese (Philadelphia ou équivalent), ramolli
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened = 45 g de beurre, ramolli
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract = ½ cuillère à café d'extrait de vanille
• 2 cups confectioners sugar = 250 g de sucre glace
• 1 tablespoon milk (optional) = 1 cuillère à soupe de lait (facultatif)

For the topping:

• ¼ cup chopped walnuts or pecans = 30 g de noix ou de noix de pecan, concassées

Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180° C. Line muffin tins with 12 paper liners.

In a bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and spices.

In another bowl, beat together the eggs, pumpkin purée, sugar, brown sugar, and vegetable oil. Add the flour mixture, in two batches, and stir until combined.

Fill cupcake tins three-quarters full and bake for 20 to 24 minutes. Set aside to cool completely.

Meanwhile, to make the frosting: in a large bowl, beat together cream cheese, butter and vanilla extract until fluffy. Gradually add sugar and mix slowly until completely incorporated. For a thinner, more spreadable consistency, add one tablespoon of milk and blend well.

Spread the cupcakes with the cream cheese frosting and top with nuts. Enjoy!