Pumpkin & Chocolate Cupcakes for National Chocolate Cupcake Day!

To celebrate National Chocolate Cupcake day I decided to change today’s post and do this one instead.  No worries, I’ve combined my theme of Pumpkin with National Chocolate Cupcake day.  I mean really, one should always celebrate a day about celebrating chocolate cupcakes.

So I took the already amazing chocolate cupcake recipe from Glorious Treats and pumpkined it! I took out the oil and added pumpkin puree.  An already genius recipe made better??? Not going to lie, I think they are pretty damn good and “non-fat”. I may need to do a side by side taste test, anyone wanna join me?

Recipe: Perfectly Chocolate Cupcakes (adapted from Glorious Treats)

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa (best quality available)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup boiling water

Directions

1. Prepare muffin tins, I used both small and normal size.  pre-heat oven to 350*F.
2. In a large mixing bowl, stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. Add eggs, milk, pumpkin and vanilla.  Beat for one minute.
4. Stir in boiling water (the batter will be thin, don't worry, this is right).
5. Fill liners 2/3 full with batter. 
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.
7. Cool completely then decorate!

I also tried Chocolate Meringue Buttercream.  The last time I made meringue buttercream was when I made my cousins wedding cake back in 1995, at least I think it was 1995.  So a long time ago.  It was a hot summer day, and all things that could go wrong, did.  It eventually worked out but vowed not to try it again.

I guess it’s time to try it again.  (hangs head in shame)  Since so many amazing bakers rave about it, why not!

I used a Martha Stewart Recipe because I tend to go with reliable resources when I’m a little leery.  So from Martha Stewart Online

Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream

• 5 large egg whites
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons, room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 4 1/2 ounces melted semisweet chocolate

Directions

1. Combine egg whites, sugar, and salt in the heatproof bowl of a standing mixer set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk constantly by hand until mixture is warm to the touch and sugar has dissolved
2. Attach the bowl to the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Starting on low and gradually increasing to medium-high speed, whisk until stiff (but not dry) peaks form. Continue mixing until the mixture is fluffy and glossy, and completely cool (test by touching the bottom of the bowl), about 10 minutes.
3. With mixer on medium-low speed, add the butter a few tablespoons at a time, mixing well after each addition. Once all butter has been added, whisk in vanilla.
4. Fold in chocolate
5. Keep buttercream at room temperature if using the same day.  It makes about 5 cups.

It’s also the Halloween season so I decorated with the coveted black Wilton candy melts and made spiders and webs.  The tombstones are the Pepperidge Farms Milano cookies, which I love more than I should, stuck into the buttercream.  They worked quite well.

This made about 24 large cupcakes and 20 mini cupcakes and I only used about half the meringue buttercream. 

So what did I do with them all?  NO I didn’t eat them…all!  I gave a bunch to next door and then I took some to the ladies of Monday night tennis.  Well I’m happy to say although my tennis was sub-par, the cupcakes received accolades. Now I didn’t take the Halloweeny ones because they were for the girls. The ladies cupcakes had simple dollops of icing on top. Since I didn’t play well, at least they got cupcakes :)

Thanks for looking!

Next up on Pumpkin Week – Pumpkin Sugar Cookies!

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