Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Maple Frosting



I made these babies the first time last year right before Halloween using a recipe I found online. After making it a few times, I've tweaked it to what I consider perfection. Since there have been a few requests for the recipe, I decided to post it here. Enjoy!

1/2 cup soy or almond milk

1 tsp. vinegar

1 1/4 cups Cake Flour (I use King Arthur's Unbleached Cake Flour)

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. ginger

1 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1/4 cup oil

1 tsp vanilla

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add muffin liners to a muffin pan.

2) Add vinegar to the soy milk to allow it to curdle.

3) Sift together all the dry ingredients excluding the brown sugar: flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Add brown sugar and mix well with other dry ingredients.

4) Add to the dry ingredients: oil, vanilla, pumpkin puree, and curdled soy or almond milk. Mix on low until just combined, making sure to scrape the bowl once. Fill muffin cups about 3/4 full. Cook in oven for 15 - 18 minutes, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Frost cupcakes with maple frosting after the cupcakes have cooled completely.

Maple Frosting

4 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup margarine (I use Earth Balance Buttery Sticks)

1/2 cup shortening

2 Tbsp. almond milk or soy milk

1 1/2 tsp. maple extract

Mix together the extract, margarine, and shortening until creamy. Add powdered sugar and milk in batches, alternating between the two of them until well mixed. Scrape bowl a few times between mixing. Once well combined, fluff frosting by mixing for 5 - 7 minutes. Frost cupcakes once they are completely cooled.