It's that time of year again: the leaves turn yellow, air gets chilly in the mornings, and I attempt to eat as much pumpkin flavored food as possible.
I know a lot of people get tired of seeing recipe after recipe adapted to incorporate pumpkin and spices but I greet this delicious season with open arms. I want all of my baking to be tinted orange and for my house to perpetually smell like warm cinnamon spice.
I want my lattes to be pumpkin flavored, and then I want my cupcakes to taste like lattes and be covered in a salted caramel drizzle. I'm leaving the summer of light, berry based desserts behind and heading straight to calorie town (need to build up a protective layer for winter anyways).
It was easy to find some recipes online for these cupcakes but after testing a couple out I really wasn't happy with the results. Some were too muffin-y and others were lacking both coffee and spice flavor. I ended up scrapping them all and starting my own recipe from scratch.
The resulting recipe has a good balance of pumpkin, spice, and coffee with a fluffy yet moist texture. They are delicious warm from the oven, un-iced, with a cup of tea...
..but they are much more decadent when topped with fluffy vanilla buttercream and a dash of cinnamon.
And since we're already going down the 'decadence' path we might as well top them off with homemade salted caramel sauce.
Nothing like celebrating my favorite season of the year with a few of my favorite flavors.
I'll try not to avalanche everyone with too many pumpkin recipes at once.. but I may or may not have pumpkin sandwich bread rising in my kitchen at this very moment beside a double batch of pumpkin scones.
Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcakes
Cupcakes:
3 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
3 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp all spice
1 tsp salt
1 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 3/4 cup pumpkin (15 ounce can)
4.5 TBSP instant coffee powder
1/4 cup milk
Whipped Vanilla Buttercream <-- click link for recipe
1. Preheat the oven to 350 and line 24 cupcake tins with muffin papers.
2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt. Set aside.
3. In a separate bowl cream the butter and sugars together until fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time scraping down the bowl after each addition.
4. In another bowl stir together the pumpkin, coffee powder, and milk until combined.
5. With the mixture on low, add one third of the flour mixture into the butter mixture followed by half of the pumpkin mixture. Stir until barely combined and then add another third of the flour mixture followed by the remaining pumpkin mixture. Finish by adding the remaining flour and stir until ingredients are incorporated. Be careful not to over-mix.
6. Divide up the batter between 24 cupcake tins. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool on a wire rack before icing.
7. Ice with whipped vanilla butter cream and top with cinnamon. Drizzle with salted caramel sauce. I use this recipe Salted Caramel Sauce from Brown Eyed Baker
Oh heeeeey cupcakes! Get in my belly!
Posted by: Rachele | 10/10/2012 at 10:31 PM
I don't think I could ever get tired of Pumpkin Spice Anything, it's one of my favorite things about this time of year. These cupcakes look delish!
Posted by: Marilyn | 10/11/2012 at 07:09 AM
Can I please come and live with you? I am rocking the pumpkin baking too (have you tried pumpkin granola? So good!), but good heavens, these cupcakes look decadent!
Posted by: Amanda @ Once Upon a Recipe | 10/11/2012 at 02:18 PM
o. m. gee. These are so beautiful and seasonal! I love it!!! PS I am in love with those cupcake liners.
Posted by: Stefanie @ Sarcastic Cooking | 10/11/2012 at 06:18 PM
Oh good gosh. It's a really good thing my sister's coming to visit next week, so I have an excuse to make these where I won't end up eating them all myself... ;D
Posted by: Allison Day | 10/11/2012 at 07:00 PM
I think I am the only person in America who has never had a pumpkin spice latte. Now I have to try one and these cupcakes!
Posted by: Emily @ Totes Delishy | 10/11/2012 at 09:03 PM
i thought I commented on this the other day but apparently, I didn't. I'm glad I came back for a second look! But also, you are kind of mean for making these and not sending me any (which is why I have to come back for multiple looks!). Yes... all lattes should come in cupcake form. I would like a chai one next, please! ;-)
Posted by: Melissa@EyesBigger | 10/12/2012 at 09:28 AM
Que ricas, y que bonita la decoración, sencilla.
Posted by: cajadesabores | 10/12/2012 at 12:45 PM
These look gorgeous and delicious. I love the flavours of the cupcake but that frosting drizzled with the caramel takes it up even more notches on the scale of fabulous!
Posted by: Paula | 10/12/2012 at 03:45 PM
I'm cray cray for all things pumpkin too. If you bring it I will make it :)
Posted by: Renee | 10/13/2012 at 06:38 PM
These look delicious, as well as hands-down beautiful; the frosting really does make it look like a latte. :) I think I'm definitely going to have to try that frosting recipe out; it sounds divine!
Posted by: Mary at n00bcakes | 10/15/2012 at 07:17 AM
These look so delicous!!
Posted by: Jenni | 10/16/2012 at 12:00 PM
where did you fine those super cute liners?
Posted by: Sarah | 10/17/2012 at 01:40 PM
Did you use the dough paddle attachment on your mixer? Am 1/2 through making them, but thought I would check!
Posted by: Bernadette | 10/17/2012 at 02:05 PM
Professional photos ! very nice work
ofcourse cupcakes looks very tasty ..mmm
Posted by: polish faruri | 11/13/2012 at 07:58 AM
Weird! I was thinking of making pumpkin spice latte cupcakes for the upcoming bake sale and after not checking your blog for a while, there they are! Great minds think a like ;)
Posted by: Maggie Muggins | 11/16/2012 at 02:29 PM