Pumpkin-Ginger Cupcakes

This recipe comes from the December/January issue of allrecipes magazine. I was draw to it because of the pumpkin. There's just something about the holidays that makes me gravitate toward pumpkin. How about you?

Maybe it's just part of the holiday season. Maybe it's all about cool temperatures and a roaring fire. Pumpkin speaks to coziness and contentment. Add a few more spices and everything smells wonderful and tastes divine.

This is an easy recipe. I hope you enjoy the cupcakes.

Pumpkin-Ginger Cupcakes

2 cups flour
1 (3.4-oz.) package instant butterscotch pudding mix
1/3 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup butter, at room temperature
1 cup white sugar
4 eggs, at room temperature
1 (15-oz.) can pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease and flour 24 muffin cups or line with paper liners.

Mix together flour, pudding mix, crystallized ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, allspice, ground ginger, salt and cloves in a bowl.

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugars with an electric mixer at medium speed until lite and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture, pumpkin, and vanilla. Mix on low speed until just incorporated. (Batter may appear curdled or separated.) Pour into prepared muffin cups.

Bake until golden and the tops spring back when lightly pressed, about 20-25 minutes. Let cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer muffins to wire racks to cool completely.

Frosting

8 cups powdered sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
crystallized ginger for garnish

Beat together 2 cups of powdered sugar, butter, milk, and vanilla in a very large bowl until smooth. Beat in remaining powdered sugar until smooth, adding more milk if necessary to make frosting spreadable.

Frost cooled cupcakes and garnish with crystallized ginger.

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

I found this recipe in the October 2017 issue of Good Housekeeping magazine. I can't wait to give it a try!

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup pure pumpkin
2 tablespoons molasses (not blackstrap)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.

Whisk flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt. 

In another bowl, combine pumpkin, molasses and vanilla.

Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed. Beat until light and fluffy, about three minutes. Reduce speed to low and beat in eggs, one at a time. Then alternately add flour and pumpkin mixture, beating until just combined.

Divide batter among muffin pan cups (heaping 1/4 cup each) and bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer to wire rack; let cool 5 minutes before removing cupcakes from pan to cool completely.

To serve, frost cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

4 oz. cream cheese (at room temperature)
2 tablespoons butter (at room temperature)
2 cups Confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar and vanilla extract until light and fluffy.

Makes 1 1/2 cups.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Streusel Muffins

Fall is in the air. Really. It may not always feel that way in October in the Deep South but Halloween is coming up quickly, which means Thanksgiving isn‘t far behind. These yummy muffins are just the thing to get us all in the spirit. This recipe comes from the April 2013 issue of Coastal Living magazine. I saved it for the fall because there’s just something about pumpkin and cinnamon and cloves that just seems perfect for this time of year.

Pumpkin-Cream Cheese Streusel Muffins

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 ¾ cups sugar, divided
3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour, divided
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
4 tablespoons chilled butter
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 ½ teaspoons salt
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 (15-oz) can pumpkin
1 cup vegetable oil
½ cup milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Like 2 (12-cup) muffin pans with paper liners.

Stir together cream cheese, vanilla extract, and ½ cup sugar in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Combine ½ cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon in a small bowl; cut in butter with a fork or pastry blender until large crumbs form. Set aside.

Combine remaining 3 cups flour, remaining 1 ¾ cups guar, remaining 2 teaspoons cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Whisk together eggs, pumpkin, oil and milk in a medium bowl; stir in egg mixture into flour mixture, just until moist. (Do not over mix.)

Spoon half of batter into prepared muffin pans. Dollop about 1 tablespoon reserved cream cheese mixture in center of batter, and top evenly with remaining batter. Sprinkle with reserved streusel mixture.

Bake 20 to 23 minutes. Remove from pans; cool on a wire rack.

Makes 2 dozen muffins.

Pumpkin Dip

Once every quarter the County Extension Office hosts a do-it-yourself craft event. We pay $10 per person and leave with three completed projects and deeply happy hearts. It is just plain fun. Last month we decorated tiles, etched a candle holder and made a pumpkin out of scrapbook paper.

 

A highlight of the evening is the snack. Remember these ladies are all about crafting and cooking and canning and such. Anything they make is good. They served this Pumpkin Dip with ginger snap wafers. It was sooooo good I had to go back for seconds. I wasn't the only one. They didn't seem to mind.

 

Just look at it: Three ingredients mixed together and you've got a dip people enjoy so much they return for seconds. That is MY kind of recipe!

 

Pumpkin Dip

1 carton Cool Whip
1 box vanilla instant pudding
1 can pumpkin

Mix it all together.

Serve with ginger snaps and graham crackers.

Easy Pumpkin Mousse

This recipe comes from the December 1990 issue of Good Housekeeping magazine. That magazine is still one of the best for providing wonderful recipes, especially at Christmas.

Easy Pumpkin Mousse

1 16-oz. can solid-pack pumpkin
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 ½ cups heavy or whipping cream
Chocolate curls for garnish

About 30 minutes before servings:

In large bowl, stir pumpkin, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. In small bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat heavy or whipping cream until soft peaks form. Fold whipped cream into pumpkin mixture.

Spoon mixture into six 8-oz. glasses. Garnish with chocolate curls.

Makes 6 servings, about 325 calories per serving.

Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

The pumpkin patch at our church is filled with pumpkins of all sizes. It’s just another sign that fall is in the air. The kids absolutely love it and it’s just so much fun to watch them picking out their special pumpkins. Because they’re so affordable, parents can purchase a larger one for decorating and cooking and each child can get a smaller one for as low as 50 cents per pumpkin.

This recipe is perfect for days like this. Instead of walnuts, I would use pecans. Of course, I’ve spent two days picking up pecans and I’m all about using what you have. This recipe comes from the October 1990 issue of Good Housekeeping magazine. Yeah. I have seriously kept it that long. Give it a try.

Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups sugar
1 ¼ cups salad oil
3 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
1 16-oz. can solid-pack pumpkin
1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In large bowl, measure all ingredients except walnuts and frosting. With mixer at low speed, beat ingredients until just mixed. Increase speed to high and beat 5 minutes, occasionally scraping bowl with rubber spatula. Stir in walnuts. Pour batter into 10-inch tube pan.

Bake cake 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes; remove from pan and cool cake completely on the rack. Frost cake with Cream Cheese Frosting. Refrigerate.

Makes 16 servings.

Cream Cheese Frosting

2 3-oz. packages cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
2-3 teaspoons milk

In small bow, with mixer at medium speed, beat cream cheese and vanilla flavoring just until smooth. Gradually beat in confectioners’ sugar and 2 to 3 teaspoons milk until it has a thick spreading consistency.

Pumpkin-Orange Spice Cake

This is from another old newspaper clipping. I’d substitute pecans -- which all falling off the trees right now -- for the walnuts.

Pumpkin-Orange Spice Cake

¾ cup butter
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
Zest of 1 orange
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 ¼ cups buttermilk
1 cup raisins, optional
1/3 cup walnuts, chopped
1/3 cup chocolate chips, coarsely chopped

Combine butter, flour and sugar in bowl and, with hands, rub to crumbs. Add baking soda, pumpkin pie spice and orange zest. Gently mix.

Mix pumpkin, egg and buttermilk together. Add to dry ingredients with raisins and walnuts. Gently stir with fork to incorporate liquid. Do not over mix.

Pour into greased 15 x 10-inch jelly roll pan and gently spread. Sprinkle chocolate chips on top. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched.

Makes 24 large servings, about 108 calories per serving.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Praline Pie

This recipe comes from Linda Hundt, owner of Sweetie-licious Bakery Cafe in DeWitt, Michigan. I clipped it from a newspaper article.

Mommy's Pumpkin Cheesecake Praline Pie

1 9-inch deep-dish pie crust, frozen

Praline Pecans
3/4 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 tablespoon brown sugar

Filling
1 (8-ounce) package cream chheese, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar, divided
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 1/4 cups canned pure pumpkin
1 cup half-and-half
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange rind
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Grated nutmeg

To prepare pecans: place pecans, butter and brown sugar in a nonstick skillet. Cook over medium heat until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and scrape onto aluminum foil to cool.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

To prepare filling: combine cream cheese, 1/3 cup sugar and vanilla, mixing until well blended. Blend in 1 egg. Pour into pastry crust.

Combine pumpkin, half-and-half, all-purpose flour, remaining sugar, 2 slightly beaten eggs, pumpkin pie spice, cloves, orange rind, salt and cinnamon. Carefully pour pumpkin mixture into a spiral pattern over cream cheese mixture. (Pumpkin mixture will sink to the bottom.)

Bake 1 hour or until almost set in middle. Let cool. Sprinkle Praline Pecans over top of pie. Dust with grated nutmeg.

Serves 8.

Pumpkin Cake

I got this recipe years ago from Elizabeth Grayson's website. She got it from someone, who got it from someone, who got it from someone. And they're not even Southern!

Pumpkin Cake

1 cup oil
2 cups sugar
4 whole eggs
2 cups canned pumpkin (plain, not pie filling)
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
6 oz. chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Blend together by hand the oil, sugar, eggs and pumpkin.

Sift together remaining ingredients separately. Actually, don't sift. Put all the ingredients together and use your whisk. It's a lot easier, makes less of a mess and does the same thing as sifting.

Add dry mixture to wet. Stir only until moistened.

Bake in greased bundt pan on the lowest rack in oven at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Oven temperatures vary so make adjustments as necessary.

Remove cake from pan when partially cooled. Lightly dust with powdered sugar.

You can also use this recipe to make muffins.

Pumpkin Layer Cheesecake

I love cheesecake and I love pumpkin. It's just one of those fall things. The weather hits 79 degrees and it's time to celebrate! This recipe has to be made in advance. Just do it the night before you need it.

Pumpkin Layer Cheesecake

2 (8 oz) packages of cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 cup canned pumpkin (I use Libby's)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
dash of ground cloves
dash of ground nutmeg
1 nine-inch ready-to-use graham cracker crumb crust

Using an electric mixer, blend cream cheese, sugar and vanilla together. Add eggs, blending thoroughly after each.

Stir pumpkin and spices into 1 cup of the batter. Pour remaining plain batter into the crust. Top with the pumpkin batter.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool. Refrigerate at least three hours or overnight.

Makes 8 servings.

Frosted Pumpkin Cake Squares

I love recipes with pumpkin and spices. It makes me think of cool weather and gatherings with family and friends.

Frosted Pumpkin Cake Squares

1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup cream cheese
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9-inch square pan.

Beat sugar and eggs for two minutes with mixer at medium speed. Beat in pumpkin and oil. At low speed, add flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Beat one minute.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack.

With mixer at low speed, beat confectioners' sugar, cream cheese, butter and vanilla extract for two minutes or until fluffly. Frost cake.

Yields nine servings.

Pumpkin Pie

This is the famous Libby's Pumpkin Pie recipe. It is easy and really quite delicious.

Libby's Pumpkin Pie

3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 large eggs
1 can (15 oz.) Libby's 100 % Pure Pumpkin
1 can (12 oz.) Carnation Evaporated Milk
1 unbaked 9-inch deep-dish pie shell
Whipped cream

Mix sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves together in small bowl. Beat eggs in a large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk.

Pour into pie shell. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate. Top with whipped cream before serving.

Makes 8 servings.

Pumpkin Cranberry Bread

Two of my friends got together one afternoon and baked two loves of Pumpkin Cranberry Bread. Apparently one friend had pumpkin in her cupboards. The other friend had the cranberry in her cupboards. They gathered at one house, mixed everything together, slid the pans into the oven, then headed to the back porch for some good old-fashioned socializing. What a great excuse to reconnect and enjoy the company of our friends!

We were fortunate enough to get a few slices of the result. It was wonderful! Here's the recipe.

Pumpkin Cranberry Bread

2 1/2 cups sugar
2 cups pumpkin
4 eggs
2/3 cups vegetable oil
1/2 cup water
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 cup dried or fresh cranberries, chopped.

Beat sugar, pumpkin, eggs, oil and water in mixer bowl. Stir in flour, baking soda and spice. Stir only until moistened. If you keep stirring, the bread will be dry.

Grease two 9" x 5" loaf pans. Evenly divide the batter, placing half in each pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 55 minutes.

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