Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil, divided
• 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1/4 cup fresh strained orange juice
• 8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3 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, ginger, and cloves for 20 seconds, then put that bowl aside.
2. Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attached, and beat until the lumps are gone. Beat in the butter with half of the oil until the mixture turns lighter and fluffy. Add the remaining oil, then mix in the eggs one at a time. Blend in the vanilla.
3. Add 1/2 of the flour mixture and mix only until it is almost incorporated. Pour in the pumpkin and orange juice, and mix again until nearly combined. Add the final 1/2 of the flour mixture and stop when it is almost mixed in, then take the bowl off the mixer and finish folding the batter together with a rubber spatula.
4. Spoon the batter into 14 muffin cups lined with paper liners, filling each about 3/4 full. Bake in the heated oven for 18 – 22 minutes, until a toothpick pushed into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool in the muffin tin for several minutes, then move them to a wire rack for about 10 minutes. After that, place them in an airtight container so they can finish cooling while staying nicely moist.
5. To make the cream cheese frosting, use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment to beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth and fluffy. Add the vanilla and powdered sugar, then beat until the frosting is light and fluffy. For a sturdier texture, chill or freeze the frosting briefly, then return it to the mixer and stir now and then.
6. Pipe or spread the frosting onto the cupcakes, then refrigerate them in an airtight container. Before serving, let them come close to room temp. Originally shared Oct. 2014. If you were attached to the older version, it was one from Chow HERE.