Mini Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ginger
• 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup butter, melted and whisked to cool slightly
• 1/3 cup applesauce, at room temperature
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp canned pumpkin puree
• 2 1/2 Tbsp buttermilk
• 1 recipe Cream Cheese Frosting, recipe follows
• 44 pumpkin candies, optional
• 4 oz. cream cheese, softenend
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger, then put that bowl aside.
2. In a separate large mixing bowl, use an electric hand mixer on low speed to beat the light-brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, and applesauce until the mixture looks smooth and well combined, about 1 minute. Beat in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla.
3. Add the pumpkin puree and buttermilk, and mix until everything is evenly blended. Gradually add the dry mixture, mixing only until it disappears into the batter.
4. Spoon the batter into paper-lined mini muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full, about 1 slightly heaping Tbsp per cup. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 – 14 minutes, until a toothpick poked into the middle of a cupcake comes out clean.
5. Cool the cupcakes completely, then spread or pipe on the Cream Cheese Frosting. If you like, finish each one with a pumpkin candy. Store the cupcakes in an airtight container. If you are using the pumpkin candies, it is best to add them within an hour or 2 of serving, since the frosting will start to soften the candy after that. If the cupcakes will not be eaten within a few hours, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator, then bring them back to room temperature before serving.