Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Brown Sugar frosting

I’m obsessed with pumpkin. I crave it in all forms ( lattes, chai, cake, pie, cupcakes….)

I bought 5 cans of pumpkin the other day (which for someone who was a non-baker 1 week ago seems like a big step), and have decided to use one of them on Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes.

The recipe I used (again from Karina’s Kitchen: http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/2006/10/brown-sugar-spice-pumpkin-bars.html ) was supposed to make bars. However, I made them into cupcakes (so I wouldn’t eat half the cake in one sitting). I didn’t have any cupcake liners, so I used aluminum foil (and it worked!). I baked them for about 17 minutes and made sure to pre-heat my oven the entire way this time. Success!

The frosting isn’t as amazing as the maple cream cheese frosting I loved (maybe I made it wrong?). I will make them with that frosting instead next time or maybe just with whipped cream. Num!

Delicious Pumpkin Cake

It was my first attempt at baking something from scratch other than chocolate chip cookies. (I mean, real baking… Not just the add water, comes in a box kind.) Overall it was a huge success!

I am obsessed with Karina’s Kitchen and her wonderful gluten-free recipes (http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/). I decided to tackle one of her baking recipes and thought it necessary to try something with pumpkin. Thanksgiving is coming up after all, and I’ll be damned if I don’t have a gluten-free pumpkin dessert to scarf down (while the family is eating delicious, gluten filled pumpkin pie)!

I brought this cake to school and everyone loved it. They couldn’t believe that it was gluten-free and many people asked for the recipe.

Here’s the recipe: http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/2005/12/maple-frosted-pumpkin-cake.html

My cake sunk a bit in the middle which (thanks to Karina and her advice) might have been because
a. my oven wasn’t completely pre-heated (I tend to rush and just throw stuff in the oven)
b. the ingredients were cold, humid, or damp (who would’ve thought!)
c. my measurements were off (once again, I am horrible at using measuring cups and didn’t realize there was a difference between wet/dry measuring cups…. besides the fact that they are easier to use. I’ll learn!!!!)

I highly recommend it. I’m pumped to show off my new baking skills to my family come Turkey Day… My aunt is hosting Thanksgiving this year, so now I just need to figure out how I will get the rest of my turkey fix (and all the necessary side-dishes) gluten-free…. One thing at a time, right? 🙂