Pumpkin Cranberry Spice Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Frosting

By on November 15th, 2007 . Filed under: Recipes .


I have been waiting to bust out the cranberries for a while now. But sickness seemed to take over my entire house. Now that the yuks are on their way out, I finally found time to bake!

I searched and searched for a pumpkin cranberry muffin or cake that called for fresh cranberries. I only found 1. But that recipe called for maple syrup, which I am out of. Ultimately, I took a pumpkin spice cake recipe and added the fresh cranberries to it. Brown Sugar Frosting seemed like a tasty pairing.

I have to say I am really pleased with how these cupcakes came out. The spice was dead on. The cranberries really stood out and added a tart punch. The cake is awesome. The frosting tastes fantastic. Sweet and caramelly. But the consistency is thicker than I would have liked once totally cooled. Ill work on that for next time.

Cranberry Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

(Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook, 12th Edition, 2002)

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1/8 teaspoon cloves

1 cup sour milk or buttermilk

1/2 cup pureed pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)

1 heaping cup fresh cranberries

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare muffin tin with cupcake papers. In a medium sized bowl combine dry ingredients, set aside. Measure sour milk in large measuring cup. Add pumpkin, stir to combine. Set aside. In bowl of standing mixer, beat butter and sugar until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat until incorporated. Scrape down side of the bowl. Alternately add sour milk mixture and flour mixture, ending with the flour mixture. Scrape sides in between additions. Fold in cranberries. Spoon cupcake batter into cups filling to about 2/3 full. Bake for 20 minutes or until a wooden tester comes out clean.

Brown Sugar Frosting

1/2 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 milk

2 cups powdered sugar

Melt butter in a sauce pan. Add brown sugar. Bring to a boil. Let boil for 2 minutes. Add milk. Bring back to a boil and take off heat. Let cool till lukewarm and add powdered sugar a little at a time until all is used . Frost.

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2 Responses to Pumpkin Cranberry Spice Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Frosting

  1. Summer

    wow these sound good….I will have to try

  2. Cakespy

    Speaking of awesome seasonal flavors…there’s a place in Seattle, Trophy Cupcakes, that has CANDIED YAM cupcakes with a marshmallow frosting for Thanksgiving week. Ohhhh goodness!

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