Hey there cupcake

If you are looking for a yum-tastic treat for your November gatherings try these Pumpkin cupcakes with Maple-cream cheese frosting. Another NYC-Ivy discovery, the recipe itself needs to be credited to Ina Garten, but delicious these puppies are! You could make a substitution or two for some healthier attributes like using grapeola instead of vegetable oil for fish-free omega-3s, and fat free cream cheese in the frosting but I would for sure still use real butter as it is much better for you then margarine.

Makes 10 cupcakes

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup canned pumpkin purée (8 ounces), not pie filling
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar,
1/2 cup vegetable oil
¼ teaspoon vanilla
¼ cup maple syrup
Maple Frosting (recipe follows)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped Heath bars, for serving (2 1.4-ounce bars)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Into a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. In a larger bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin purée, granulated sugar, brown sugar, maple syrup, vanilla and vegetable oil. Add the flour mixture and stir until combined.
3. Divide the batter among the prepared tins and bake for 20 min, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Set aside to cool completely.
4. Spread the cupcakes with the Maple Frosting and sprinkle with the chopped toffee bits.

Maple Frosting
6 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon Maple extract
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 ½ cups sifted confectioners' sugar

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the cream cheese and butter on low speed until smooth. Stir in the maple flavoring , maple syrup and vanilla extract.
2. With the mixer still on low, slowly add the confectioners' sugar and mix until smooth.