In season: Cupcakes spiced and iced

Photo by Gerard O'Brien.
Photo by Gerard O'Brien.
Glorious, velvety pumpkin with a sprinkle of spice and creamy maple icing makes for a sensational cupcake!

Pumpkin and maple iced cupcakes.

Makes 18 cupcakes

115g unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 large free-range eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk mixed with 1 tsp vanilla extract
350g cooked pumpkin, pureed

Icing
500g cream cheese, softened
115g unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups icing sugar
1/4 cup pure maple syrup

To make the cupcakes
NB: I steamed my pumpkin until very soft.

Drain well and puree until smooth.

Heat the oven to 175degC.

Put 18 pretty cupcake papers into muffin tins.

Cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.

Add the eggs to the butter mixture one at a time, beating well. Beat in the pumpkin and mix until smooth.

Alternate adding the flour and milk mixture (I like to begin and end with the flour). Mix until well combined. Spoon into the papers - you want them full.

Lightly tap the pans once to remove any air bubbles. Bake the cakes until a toothpick comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes. Cool the cupcakes completely on a cooling rack.

To make the icing

Put all the ingredients in a mixer and beat until fluffy and smooth.

Ice generously, swirling decoratively!


Alison Lambert, chef at the Otago Farmers Market, will demonstrate this recipe at the market on Saturday morning.


 

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