Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Honey Cinnamon Frosting

I love cupcakes.  I love making them, decorating them and of course eating them.  Cupcakes are great because there are so many flavor combination's that your options are pretty much endless.  Recently I saw cupcakes with bacon on them, yes bacon, so I think its safe to say that anything goes with cupcakes.

Cupcakes are perfect for any occasion. I have been known to bring cupcakes to important events- my grandmas 80th birthday party, my best friend Lesley's engagement party and her bachelorette party.  I can't take all of the credit though, my mom loves to make cupcakes as much as I do and the below two pictures are cupcakes she and I made together.  How stinking cute are these?!

Picture from Lesley and Tom's Engagement Party- Devils Food Cake Cupcakes with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting and Lemon Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

topped with chocolate hearts and plastic rings



Picture from Lesley's bachelorette party- Lemon Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

topped with gingersnap cookies

This week we had a fundraiser bake sale at work and I decided it was the perfect excuse to try out a new cupcake recipe I recently discovered on Carrots N' Cakes' blog.  I like that the cupcake recipe is lightened by using unsweetened applesauce instead of the oil and egg substitute instead of eggs.  While the cupcakes aren't too bad for you the frosting is definitely not healthy- but it's really good and worth the extra calories!

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Honey Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

** Adapted from Carrots N' Cake
(printable recipe)

Makes 24 cupcakes, or 12 cupcakes and 1 9-inch cake
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Bake Time: 18-20 minutes

1 box spice cake mix
1 15oz. can pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
3/4 cup egg substitute
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/3 cup water
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice- if you can't find this just add in a dash of nutmeg, cloves, and allspice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Paper-line or grease 24 muffin cups. Blend cake mix, pumpkin, egg substitute, applesauce, water, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice until moistened. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour batter into prepared muffin cups, about 3/4 full.

Bake for 18-23 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. After 10 minutes, remove from pans, place on wire racks, and cool completely.

Prepare frosting according to directions and spread evenly on cupcakes.


Honey Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
** Courtesy of Sweet Tooth, Sweet Life

Prep Time: 10 minutes

1/2 cup butter, softened
4 oz. reduced fat cream cheese
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tbsp. honey
2-4 cups powdered sugar
1-2 tbsp. milk

Cream butter until light and fluffy. Add the cream cheese and beat for another 2 minutes. Add the honey and cinnamon, and gradually add the powdered sugar one cup at a time. Add the milk and more powdered sugar (if needed) until you get your desired consistency.