Most people have a love or hate relationship with pumpkin spice flavored foods/drinks. This year, I am in love with pumpkin spice. Count me in for Team Pumpkin Spice. All the way. 
Henry is playing soccer with the Walton County Recreational League. If you’ve never watched 3 and 4 year olds play soccer, stop what you’re doing and locate a game. It is the funniest thing you’ll ever see. You get to witness an entire range of emotions in 45 minutes in one child. Henry usually begins on a high note, calling himself a soccer star, but the minute someone else touches him, it’s all over. Done. Crying, whining, wailing. Falling out on the ground. For about 10 minutes he’s completely put out and then, out of nowhere, he usually regroups and joins the team. Usually. 
The County randomly issues jersey colors and allows teams to choose their own names. After receiving our burnt orange jerseys, one mom from the team exclaimed, “Team Pumpkin Spice,” and the name stuck.
Sometimes the highlight of the game is the coach saying the game has ended and snacks are dispersed. 
My children have become obsessed with all things pumpkin and all things Halloween. Massey loudly yells, “Punkin,” anytime we see jack o’lanterns or decorative pumpkins. I’ve even caught myself asking the Publix employees about the price of the punkins. 
I decided to take advantage of their love of pumpkins and bake some pumpkin cupcakes. With cream cheese frosting, of course. If you’re a pumpkin fanatic like my children, or a spice fanatic, or just a huge fan of fall, you’ll love these moist and tasty cupcakes! You could also leave off the cream cheese frosting and call them muffins, but where’s the fun in that!?!
INGREDIENTS:
For the Cupcakes:
- 1⅓ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch of pumpkin pie spice
- ¾ cup canned pumpkin
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1 cup butter (I use salted), at room temperature
- 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 cups powdered sugar
DIRECTIONS:
- Make the Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350º. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners; set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice; set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, both sugars and the vegetable oil until completely combined, making sure to break up any chunks of brown sugar so no lumps remain. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time. Add the flour mixture in two additions, folding and mixing well.
- Divide the batter between the baking cups, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, 18 to 22 minutes. Allow to cool in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.
- Make the Frosting: With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the butter until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cream cheese and vanilla and continue to beat for an additional 2 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the powdered sugar gradually and mix until smooth and combined, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes.
- I garnished mine with a sprinkle of nutmeg of cinnamon.
From Dixie to 30A 