Pumpkin Spiced Cupcakes   (Makes 12)

Hi Guys, Ginger Fox here!

I don’t know about you, but Autumn is my absolute favourite season. An excuse to get out all of those comfy jumpers and scarves, light scented candles and eat lots of sweet treats.

                                                                                                                   

I personally love anything flavoured with ginger at this time of the year, and my usual go-to recipe is ginger and citrus cupcakes. However this year I decided to break out of my comfort zone and I bought myself a pumpkin. I have never had pumpkin in my life so I was excited and a bit nervous about trying it. So after a long deliberation I decided cupcakes were the way to go, so if you want to try this recipe, keep reading!

What you’ll need:

For the Cupcakes

• 140g Pureed Pumpkin

• 140g Flour

• 5 tbsp Dark Brown Sugar

• 1/2tsp Salt

• 2 tbsp Baking Powder

• 1/4 tsp  Bicarbonate Of Soda

• 100ml Milk

• 1 Large egg

• 1/2 tsp Cinnamon

• 1/4 tsp Ginger

• 1/4 tsp Nutmeg

• 1/4 tsp Cloves (crushed)

• 60g Butter

• 100g Caster Sugar

  For the Topping

• 100ml Double Cream/ Elmlea

• 25g Grated Chocolate

• 2tbsp Icing Sugar

• Nutella

Method

1. First of all, mix all of your dry ingredients together apart from the caster sugar. Set aside.

2. Preheat your oven to 190C and fill your muffin tray with cupcake holders.

3. Beat together the Caster sugar and Butter in a separate mixing bowl until it has lightened slightly in colour. Then whisk in the egg until well combined and there are bubbles of air in the mixture.

4. Add your pumpkin and milk to the wet mixture and combine well. Then add in the dry ingredients bit by bit, folding the mixture gently as you go to avoid losing any air bubbles.

5. Scoop the mixture into your cupcake holders using either a spoon or an ice-cream scoop if you have one. Put the cupcakes in the oven and let bake.

6. After 10 minutes check the cupcakes by pressing your finger lightly on top, once the cupcakes spring back slightly when you release your finger they are ready. Leave on a wire rack to cool.

For the Topping:

1. Whisk together the cream and icing sugar until whipped and stiff.

2. In a piping bag, spoon 3 stripes of Nutella into the bag and then spoon in the cream. Squeeze the bag out until the stripes are visible and then begin to pipe onto the cupcakes. When I made them I started from the middle and swirled outwards.

3. Sprinkle with chocolate and then enjoy!