Disgusting. Delicious. Finger Cookies!

Always a Halloween party favorite, finger cookies are gruesome fun, easy to make--and they taste great too! I've seen both sweet and savory versions of the "finger," but the recipe I use I found in Rachael Ray's October 2011 issue. Unbelievably simple considering how great they turn out.

Severed Finger Cookies

Makes: 50  Prep: 40 min (plus chilling) Bake: 25 min

1 c.  unsalted butter, at room temperature (I use whatever butter I have in the fridge + nuke to soften)

1 c.  confectioners' sugar

1 egg

1 tsp.  pure vanilla extract

2 3/4 c.  flour

1 tsp.  baking powder

1 tsp.  salt

1/2 c.  sliced almonds

1. In a large bowl, beat the butter until creamy. Mix in the sugar, egg and vanilla, then mix in the flour, baking powder and salt. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
   
                      
   
2. Preheat oven to 325 F. Using your hands and working quickly, roll a heaping tablespoon of dough into a finger shape. Place the fingers about 3 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Stick a sliced almond on 1 end of each for the fingernails. Use a table knife to make three crosswise knuckle marks in the middle of each cookie. Bake until lightly golden 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool.
   
                      
   
3. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, cook the jam over low heat until it reaches a saucy consistency. Once liquified, remove from the heat and pour into a small bowl; dip the "severed" end of each cookie into the sauce.

Somehow, I completely forgot to take a photo of the finished project... But here's what last year's batch looked like:

(This year's fingers were better...)

Candy Corn Cupcakes

Candy Corn Cupcakes

I first saw the idea for a candy corn cake on Pinterest, and while it was a cute idea, I wasn't immediately compelled to replicate it. However, I thought I could adapt the idea to create a great easy way to make cupcakes for my Halloween party. They wouldn't be labor-intensive, but would have a nice finished look. The outcome wasn't perfect, but it didn't disappoint either! 

Here's how I made them:

Apple-Cinnamon Butternut Squash Soup: A perfect dish for these brisk autumn nights!

During my hunt for healthy, yet hearty, foods that would also expand my taste palate, I came across a few tasty looking recipes for butternut squash soup. I narrowed it down to one on the sweeter side, provided by Pillsbury. I followed the recipe as closely as possible--since my two "medium" squashes produced a little more than 8 cups of flesh, I upped the apple quantity a little as well. It's delicious! And my boyfriend is already on his third helping. Yes, THIRD.

Apple-Cinnamon Butternut Squash Soup

source: Pillsbury.com

Ingredients 

8 cups cubed seeded peeled butternut squash (2 medium)*
1 large apple, peeled, chopped
1 large onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon pepper
3 cups (Fat Free & Low Sodium) chicken broth
3/4 (1%) cup milk
1 container (6 oz) Greek Fat Free plain yogurt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

1. In Dutch oven, mix squash, apple, onion, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon and pepper. Add broth. Cover; heat to boiling over medium-high heat. Reduce heat; simmer about 20 minutes or until squash is tender.

1. In blender or food processor, place one-third of mixture. Cover; blend until smooth. Repeat twice to use up remaining soup. Return to Dutch oven, stir in milk and yogurt. Heat over low heat, stirring occasionally, just until heated through. Ladle into bowls; sprinkle with chives.

Expert Tips: When selecting butternut squash, look for those that have hard, tough rinds and are heavy for their size. Peeling the squash will be easier if you first microwave it on High for 3 minutes.Purchase already peeled and cut-up squash if available at your grocery store. If you’re cutting it yourself, a good, swivel-headed vegetable peeler is the tool of choice to make quick work of peeling the squash.

My nutritional info is quite different from the website, perhaps because my batch was slightly larger.

Serving: 1 cup Calories per serving: 106 Total Fat: .03g Cholesterol: 2mg Sodium: 299mg Potassium: 495mg Total Carbs: 25g Fiber: 3.5g Sugars: 10.3g Protein: 3.7g

Vitamin A: 265% Vitamin C: 50% Calcium: 11% Iron: 5.5%

*If you live near a Trader Joe's, check it out for squash. It's the cheapest and best quality squash in the area! (Including a local orchard. I love supporting them, but the price was way too high in comparison this time.)

Long Trail Pumpkin Ales: a long trip and a short sip later...

Two weeks ago, I visited my beautiful cousin in Rutland, VT for her wedding. Instead of taking the awfully boring ride back on the train, I met up with boyfriend and we made a mini road trip out of the return home.

Our first stop--hardly half an hour from where I had stayed--was Long Trail Brewery.

Similar to Iron Hill Brewery, which is local to me, Long Trail is both a brewing company and a restaurant. So we stayed for lunch--and it was probably the best decision of the whole trip.

The food was OUTSTANDING! I started with their signature Long Trail Cheddar Ale Soup followed by the Long Trail Bratwurst. (No, not everything on the menu starts with "Long Trail.") I've had PA Dutch sleeved meat--I've even had my share in Germany--but this was the best. To be completely fair, my taste palate has greatly expanded since my previous sleeved meat tastings... Nonetheless, the "cooked onions & maple mustard" are surely what set it over the top.

To accompany my meal, I ordered a pint of Long Trail's Imperial Pumpkin from their Brewmaster Series of ales.

Click here to learn more about Imperial Pumpkin

The Imperial Pumpkin is an English Strong Ale with an ABV of 8%. While not strong on pumpkin flavor, I really enjoyed this beer! It had all the right spices and tipped more towards the malty end rather than hoppy. According to Long Trail's site, Imperial Pumpkin was brewed with 2-Row, Wheat, Caramel 80L, and Caramunich malts with Nugget, Mt. Hood and Willamette hops. (I feel like I'm in Pineapple Express...) Their description:

Long Trail Imperial Pumpkin Ale is the latest introduction  to the Long Trail Brewmaster Series. This limited release seasonal treat is small batch brewed with pumpkins, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves with increased malts and a touch of bitterness for the perfect balance.

Well balanced, indeed. Nice job, Long Trail!

After our meal, we wondered around a bit and headed up to the indoor viewing balcony to see the vats. It was nice, but certainly not worthy of the term "tour" they throw around on the website, even if prefaced with "self-guided." They did have a pretty sweet (giant) graphic hanging in the restaurant, though, that talked about their brewing process:

A few days later, while at home, I remembered that I picked up a bottle of Long Trail's Pumpkin Ale prior to my trip and had it sitting in my fridge! Cracked it open. Poured in my branded Long Trail glass that I purchased at the brewery. Took a sip. Took another sip. One more. Dumped it. Maybe it had just been sitting too long... Ultimately, not my thang. It drank more like a light beer, which I am not at all fond of. I decided it wasn't worth the calorie intake. Ah, well. Their Imperial Pumpkin was certainly winner in my book, if that helps.

Single Serve Pumpkin Oatmeal

Listen, I'm not a big oatmeal girl. But I'm willing to get into it for the sake of my health. It gets hard, though, finding a recipe without loosing the healthy aspect of the meal.

This recipe, originally from About.com, fed a family of four. Which not only doesn't exist in this house, but I cook just for this girl. So I took this Pinterest find and adapted it for one.

Pumpkin Oatmeal
adapted from a recipe by Fiona Haynes, About.com 

Yields: 1 serving

Ingredients

1/2 c. Oats

3/4 c. Low fat or Nonfat Milk (I used 1%)

2 tbsp. Pumpkin Puree

10 g. Raisins Don't hate me because I weigh my food.

1 pinch Pumpkin Pie Spice

1 smidgeon Ground Cinnamon

Or do what I did: just sprinkle that shit on top until you're satisfied.

*Also, brown sugar OR sugar-free syrup if needed. I needed a little towards the end.

Directions

Place oatmeal in a microwave safe bowl and stir in milk. Microwave on high for 2-3 minutes. KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE BOWL! I'm not kidding. My oats erupted all over my microwave plate. Which reminds me... I forgot to clean that up. Oops!

After you scrape your oats and milk back into your bowl, stir in the pumpkin puree and spices. Nuke it again for another 40 seconds. (It's totally safe this time.) Once done, stir in the raisons. Add sweetener if you'd like, and EAT THAT SHIT UP. Or struggle through the foreign texture that is oatmeal as I did.

About halfway thru, I added a tiny bit of sugar-free syrup. Made it better without adding nearly any calories, but it's really the mush part that gets me. Perhaps next time I'll add a little bit of chopped pecans on top. Mmm...

My nutrition calculations:

Per recipe/serving : Calories: 275.8, Total Fat: 5g (Sat: 1.6g, Trans: 0g), Cholesterol: 7.5mg, Sodium: 101.3mg, Potassium: 379mg, Total Carbs: 47g (Fiber: 6g, Sugars: 18.3g), Protein: 11.8g

Vitamin A: 82.5%, Vitamin C: 3.6%, Calcium: 24%, Iron: 12.1%

Have any good, healthy oatmeal recipes? Let me know!

Shock Top Pumpkin Wheat

I generally prefer my brews to be darker in color and stronger in taste. I'd choose a stout over an ale any day. But as I am the self-proclaimed Halloween Queen, how could my autumn be complete without pushing my pumpkin intake to the max? Pumpkin ales are therefore unavoidable. So here I am, on my quest to taste as many of them as I can!

You'll have to bear with me as I fine tune my tasting-and-telling-about-it skills. Here I go!

Copyright: Jenn D./The Halloween Spot

Shock Top Pumpkin Wheat
"Belgium style wheat ale brewed with pumpkin and spices"

Brewer: Anheuser-Busch | St. Louis, MO

Style: Pumpkin Ale

ABV: 5.20%


When it comes to Shock Top, the only previous run-ins I've had with the brand have been at the ball park. (The Phillies homebase, Citizens Bank Park, carries the beer.)

After cracking open the bottle, I took a few strong sniffs of the beverage. It was a light scent, very fresh with hints of orange citrus and a blend of spices underneath.

I poured the ale into a glass to see the color: vibrantly amber! Not completely transparent, the Pumpkin Wheat was like an opaque field of grains during an autumn sunset... Okay I'm done.

What little head there was disappeared almost immediately, so I jumped into the tasting. First sip didn't impress, but as I continued to drink the ale, the flavors developed across my taste buds and I liked it more and more! My plan to ditch half the bottle to be healthier ultimately failed.

At it's core, the Shock Top Pumpkin Ale remains close to its wheat beer roots. It's the nice, light spices in the beer that really sets it apart.

I gave it 2/5 pumpkins on scent and 3/5 pumpkins on flavor. I'm going to be a hard judge through and through on this ride! The pumpkins will denote how pumpkin-y the brew actually comes off. Overall, though, this was a very enjoyable drink. I wouldn't go and by a case (simply because it's generally not my thang,) but I wouldn't pass on an offer either.

What is wheat beer?
According to my quick search, many wheat beers are actually witbiers. (Other wheat beers include wiessbiers, hefeweizens, lambics and goses.) According to BeerAdvocate, a witbier is:

A Belgian Style ale that's very pale and cloudy in appearance due to it being unfiltered and the high level of wheat, and sometimes oats, that's used in the mash. Always spiced, generally with coriander, orange peel and other oddball spices or herbs in the back ground. The crispness and slight twang comes from the wheat and the lively level of carbonation. This is one style that many brewers in the US have taken a liking to and have done a very good job of staying to style. Sometimes served with a lemon, but if you truly want to enjoy the untainted subtleties of this style you'll ask for yours without one. Often referred to as "white beers" (witbieren) due to the cloudiness / yeast in suspension.

Mmm....

Like Pumpkin Ales? Let me know what you think!

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Pancakes

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Pancakes

(source: Mother Thyme)

1 ½ c. white whole wheat flour

3 tsp. baking powder

2 tbsp. sugar

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. cinnamon

1 ½ tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1 c. milk (I used 1%)

1 c. pumpin puree

1 large egg, lightly beaten (I totally forgot to beat it lightly... Don't think it mattered much.)

2 tbsp. butter, melted

I threw all the above into a quart-sized measuring cup--easy to pour from and store leftover batter in with less clean up!

Since I'm on a healthy kick now, I measured out all of the ingredients and decided the recipe would make 4 Jenn-sized servings.

Using a 3/4 cup of batter for a serving, scoop two spoonfuls per pancake onto a griddle pan over medium heat. Since the batter is on the thicker side, use the spoon to spread out the pancake a bit. Mine were probably about 6 inces in diameter. 

Unlike your run-of-the-mill flapjack, these pancakes will not bubble all over producing your usual tell-tale tiny batter wholes. Instead, you may see one or two little guys. Use your best judgement and flip when you think they're good and ready. Does not take long!

I ate mine with a bit of buttery spread and sugar-free syrup, which only added on an extra 40 calories to my pancake serving!

Here is the nutritional information for the pancakes:

Pumpkin Seed Brittle

I've had a stash of hulled pumpkin seeds in my house that I've been looking for something to do with. After googling around, I found a few recipes for Pumpkin Seed Brittle; I chose one by Alton Brown since I know brittle to be a technical process.

To make the brittle, I needed:

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil, plus additional for coating 
• 7 ounces hulled pumpkin seeds (these are the green ones) 
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 
• 1 pound 6 ounces granulated sugar 
• 12 ounces water 

Plus:

• 10-inch saute pan
• Silpat mat
• Half sheet pan
• 3-quart saucier and large cast iron skillet

Directions:

"Place the oil and seeds into a 10-inch saute pan and set over medium-high heat. Toast the seeds while constantly moving the pan. You will smell their aroma and hear some of them begin to crackle when they are toasted, 4 to 5 minutes." 

You really do smell them. It's fantastic!

"Transfer the seeds to a small mixing bowl, add the cayenne, cinnamon and salt and stir to combine."

I only used half the cayenne and sprinkled some clove on top too!

"Line a half sheet pan with a silicone baking mat.

Place a 3-quart saucier inside a large cast iron skillet."

Obviously, I improvised this step...

"Add the sugar and water to the saucepan, and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until it comes to a boil. Stop stirring, cover and cook for 3 minutes. Uncover, reduce heat to medium, and cook until the sugar is a light amber color, approximately 25 minutes.

"Remove from the heat and stir in the pumpkin seed mixture. This will greatly reduce the temperature of the sugar, so work quickly. Once evenly mixed, pour the mixture onto the prepared half sheet pan. Using an oiled spatula, spread thin. You will have to work quickly when pouring out and spreading the mixture in the pan."

Dammit! It crystalized. I knew I shouldn't have made a point to scrape out the bottom of the pan to get ever seed... If you try this recipe, make sure you avoid doing just that. You really do need to work fast!

"Cool completely, approximately 30 minutes, and then break into pieces. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks."

Overall, it didn't turn out too bad! I got a nice flavor on the seeds, however, I just don't think I'm a brittle girl after all. 

Next time, I think I'd use the same steps to toast and season (my way,) but turn it into a snack mix instead.

If you're a brittle whore (ha ha...), let me know what you usually make and what tricks you use to make it amazing!

Also find this post on my other blog, A Taste of My Brain

Quick Tip - Pumpkin Seeds

I just recently learned my lesson about baking with different colored pans...  I'd always seen before recipes calling for either a "light" or "dark" pan, but I always pretty much ignored it.  But hey, it all worked out fine before.

Well last week, after carving this BAMF, I baked me some pumpkin seeds using this recipe.  I grabbed two deep pans out of the drawer so that I would have the room to spread the seeds out while not having the risk of the seeds falling off like cookie sheets do.  The pans, one light and one dark, were both in the oven for the same amount of time at exactly the same time.  Here's the difference:

Doh!  Shows what lack of attention will bring on.  Oh, well.  The lighter ones are delicious (so you can image with the bag of pumpkin seeds is starting to look like as I pick the good ones out.)  I'll just have to be more careful when I gut the big guy this week!

Halloween 2010: The Cake is designed

I have to put my Wilton classes to use for my most favorite occasion of the year!  So I drew up this guy, which I thought of on the ride home one day last week.  Forgive the quality of the sketch.  I guess I couldn't find a pencil so I had to use a pen for the body of the sketch, and I also couldn't locate my black Prismacolor.  That's why the midsection is kind of grey; I was actually pressing hard with whatever dollar store version of a black colored pencil I could find.

So let me know what you think, please!  I can go into details of what materials I have in mind later.  The only thing I'm debating right now is whether it's going to just be frosted or covered with a fondant/modeling chocolate shell.  Suggestions? Bring 'em on!

:)

(By the way: I don't claim to be any kind of professional, so please judge my artwork kindly ;)

Make Me Something Sundays: Ultimate Chocolate Layered Reeses Cake

My boyfriend sent this to me after he "stumbled" it a little while back.  He told me that he wanted me to make this for his birthday, (which was this past week.)  I'm still working on my cake technique but it still turned out pretty good!  I used 8'' pans, which was all we had, but I highly suggest using something wider.  This recipe makes a very rich, chocolatey cake that is almost difficult to eat!  (But still tasty ;)

The Ultimate Chocolate Layered Reeses Peanut Butter Cup Birthday Cake

1 box Pillsbury Devils Food Cake Mix

4 large eggs

1/2 Cup canola oil

1/2 Cup water

8 oz sour cream

1 small box instant chocolate pudding mix

1 bag mini or regular chocolate chips

_____________________

4 8oz packages softened cream cheese

2 sticks softened butter

16 oz bag powdered sugar (most of it)

_____________________

1 Cup melted creamy peanut butter

1 bag of Reeses Peanut Butter Cup minis, halved (freeze bag for an hour before cutting, it’s much easier)

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  In a stand or electric mixer add the cake mix, eggs, oil, water, sour cream, pudding mix and chocolate chips.  Beat until well combined, about 1 1/2 minutes.  Will be thick.  Pour evenly into 2 well greased 9 inch cake pans.  Bake for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean from center of cakes.  Let cool completely.

2.  To prepare cream cheese frosting place softened cream cheese and butter into a mixing bowl, beat on med-high speed until creamy smooth.  Slowly beat in powdered sugar until a good spreading consistency forms.  I used almost the entire bag of powdered sugar.  Refrigerate for a good hour before frosting.

3.  Turn cakes onto wax paper and with a large serrated knife cut each cake in half width wise to form 4 layers.  Place one layer onto a cake stand and drizzle melted peanut butter over top.  Next spread a generous amount of cream cheese frosting over that.  Place another cake layer on top and repeat peanut butter and frosting until top layer is placed.  Spread remaining frosting over entire cake then top with halved Reeses Peanut Butter Cup Minis.  I froze the cake until ready for serving.  It stays nice and cold which makes it MUCH easier to cut into slices.  Enjoy!!

(Left: Recipe's picture, Right: My picture (half eaten))

 

Make Me Something Sundays: Turkey Enchiladas Plus

While I specialize in baked goods (mainly because my cooking is less than great...) I found this recipe in the paper recently.  It's great for after the holidays when you have a bunch of leftovers sitting around and no clue what to do with them!

Found in the Philadelphia Inquirer, from The New Thanksgiving Table by Diane Morgan.

Turkey Enchiladas with Creamy Tomatillo Sauce

Makes 4 servings

2 cups shredded roast turkey

2 green onions, including tender green tops, thinly sliced

3 tablespoons cream cheese, at room temp.

1 1/3 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

2 cans (7 oz each) salsa verde, or 1 can (13 oz) tomatillos, drained

2 tablespoons canned chopped green chiles, drained

1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves

2/3 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup canola oil

8 corn tortillas

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.  In a medium bowl, combine the turkey, green onions, cream cheese, and 1 cup of jack cheese and stir to mix thoroughly.  Set aside.
2. In a blender or food processor, combine the salsa verde, chiles, cilantro, and cream and process until smooth.
3. Heat the oil in a heavy, 6-inch skillet over medium-high heat.  Using tongs, carefully place 1 tortilla at a time in the hot oil and fry for 5 to 10 seconds, just until softened.  Flip the tortilla and soften the other side.  Drain over the skillet, then place on a plate lined with a paper towel.  Place another paper towel on top and press to absorb the oil.  Repeat until all 8 tortillas are softened and drained.
4. Divide the turkey mixture among the tortillas (about 1/2 cup each), mounding it in a line down the center.  Roll tightly and place, seam side down, in a 7-by-11-inch baking pan.  Pour the tomatillo-cream sauce over the enchiladas, and sprinkle the remaining 1/3 cup jack cheese down the center.  Bake for about 20 minutes until heated through and bubbly.  Serve immediately.

Note: The enchiladas can be made up to one day in advance.  Cover and refrigerate.  Remove from the refrigerator 45 minutes before baking.  Plan on 30 to 35 minutes until the casserole is heated through and bubbly.

I absolutely plan on trying these following Christmas dinner.  I'll post the pics and let you know how it goes!

Make Me Something Sundays: Apple Crisp

Here's a delicious recipe I found on allrecipes.com!  The original recipe was called "Nana's Apple Crisp," but, like always, I screwed around with it ;)

Ingredients:

• 6 tart apples - peeled, cored, and sliced *I used 4 large apples, handpicked from Linvilla Orchards!  Use your judgement with the amount, according to how big your apples are and how thick you like your dish.*
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup quick-cooking oats
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon, divided
• 1/4 cup butter, cut into pieces
• Vanilla, Ground Clove, Nutmeg (optional, my additions)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C)
• Place apples in a 9x13 inch baking dish.  In a bowl, mix melted butter, flour, sugar, oats, and 1 tablespoon cinnamon to form a crumbly mixture.  (I added a splash of vanilla to this mix.)  Sprinkle over apples.  Dot with remaining 1/4 cup butter, and sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon cinnamon (plus clove and nutmeg!)  
• Bake 50 minutes in the preheated oven, until lightly browned and apples are tender.

This recipe is really delicious and nice warm treat for the cold days!  Here are my pictures:

A Little History for Thursdays: First Ever...

Jenn's first ever Thanksgiving Pumpkin Pie!!!

Okay, well it's historic for me...

And received compliments all around ;)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Make Me Something Sundays: Invisible Pops

I tried making these a couple months ago... I need practice.  However lopsided they came out, though, they still tasted great!  Let me know if you have any suggestions for candy-making!

(Photo credit: MarthaStewart.com)

Ingredients

Makes 1 dozen

• 2 cups sugar
• 2/3 cup light corn syrup
• Assorted candies and seeds, such as red and black licorice whips, candy corn, and pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds)

Directions

1. Line three baking sheets with Silpat nonstick baking mats or parchment paper. Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside.
2. Bring sugar, corn syrup, and 1/4 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Don't stir, but occasionally wash down sides of pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water to prevent crystals from forming; boil until mixture turns golden and registers 300 degrees to 310 degrees (hard-crack stage) on a candy thermometer, 5 to 7 minutes.
3. Immediately set pan into ice-water bath to stop the cooking (syrup will steam vigorously); let sit about 20 seconds. Swirl pan 2 minutes more to cool.
4. Working quickly, pour syrup onto baking sheets, forming circles (3 to 31/2 inches in diameter) and spacing pours about 4 inches apart .
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Press in lollipop sticks.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   With your fingertip or a wooden skewer, lightly press candies and seeds into syrup. Let stand until completely hardened and cooled.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Make Me Something Sundays: Pumpkin Cupcakes with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

I found this recipe on another blog (the name escapes me), which was adapted from a recipe they found on Smitten Kitchen by a David Leite.  The recipe yields about 18 regularly sized cupcakes.  Don't be mistaken by the picture as I was... I used both small cupcake molds and large ones and they all came out delicious!  I did take my own pictures but I can't seem to find them... The picture below is from the site I found the recipe on.

Ingredients:

·       1 stick unsalted butter, room temp.

·       1 c. firmly packed dark-brown sugar

·       
1/3 cup granulated sugar

·       
2 cups cake flour

·       
2 teaspoons baking powder

·       
1 teaspoon baking soda

·       
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon


·       1 teaspoon ground ginger


·       1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

·       
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves


·       1/2 teaspoon salt

·       
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper


·       2 large eggs


·       1/2 cup buttermilk mixed with 1 teaspoon vanilla


·       1 1/4 cups canned solid-pack pumpkin

Frosting


·       Two (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened


·       1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature


·       2 cups confectioners’ sugar


·       1/4 cup pure maple syrup

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350° (175°C). Line a cupcake pan with 18 liners.

2. In a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugars on medium speed until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, salt, and pepper into a medium bowl.

3. Add the eggs 1 at a time to the mixer, scraping down the sides after each addition. Alternate adding the flour and milk mixtures, beginning and ending with the flour. Beat in the pumpkin until smooth. Scoop the batter among the cupcake liners — you’re looking to get them 3/4 full. Rap the filled pans once on the counter to release any air bubbles. Bake the cakes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes. Cool the cupcakes on racks completely.

Make the frosting:
In a stand mixer beat all the ingredients on medium until fluffy.

Now, the recipe doesn't tell you what to sprinkle on top, if anything.  However, I mixed up a combination of white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon and vanilla.  It came out great, and I received many compliments on that extra crunch!