Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes

One more blog about cupcakes and I promise I'll get back to the last Isla trip.

These spicy little cupcakes are delicious and perfect for the holidays. In a rush? Cheat by using store bought whipped chocolate frosting. I won't tell.

Pumpkin Cupcakes
2 cups canned 100% pure pumpkin
1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed
1 1/2 cups white sugar
6 eggs
1 cup of oil
4 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp baking soda
3 1/2 cups flour

In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin and sugars until sugar is dissolved. Add all other ingredients except for flour and whisk until mixed. Stir in flour, just until mixed. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes. This also makes a good layer cake.

Fluffly chocolate frosting compliments the pumpkin cake

Semi Sweet Ganache Frosting

12 oz Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
1 cup heavy cream

Melt chocolate in a saucepan over med/low heat, stirring almost continually. Remove from heat and add cream, stirring until it's glossy and smooth. Allow to cool completely, as it will thicken up. To get a whipped texture, use your mixer after it's cooled. You can even get fancy and pipe the ganache onto the cupcakes.
Decorate with Milano cookies (cut off the ends for small tombstones, write on them with edible pen), pumpkins and candy corn.

The cake batter is fragrant with spices

Nothing like some help from Ozzy to add to the Halloween spirit