Pumpkin Cupcakes

The skies are filled with grey clouds, you've got candles burning away and the heating is now on constant, am I setting the scene enough? If anyone else is was like me once Halloween is over the pumpkin heads for the bin. Well I'm now a changed woman. We have a tubful of pumpkin soup in the freezer (which was tantalizing) and a tin full of home-made cupcakes in the cupboard, and it feels good to know our pumpkins didn't go to waste! You can make these without fresh pumpkins, by using pumpkin puree in case you now have a sudden urge to treat yourselves to these!

To make 24 cupcakes you will need:
280g plain flour1 teaspoon ground cinnamon1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg1/2 teaspoon ground ginger1/2 teaspoon ground cloves1/2 teaspoon salt1 tablespoon baking powder1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda110g butter, softened200g caster sugar5 tablespoons brown soft sugar2 eggs, room temperature180ml milk250g pumpkin, cooked and pureed

For the icing you will need:
280g softened butter
560g icing sugar
3-4 tbsp milk
A few drops of vanilla essence
Sprinkling of cinnamon

Method:
1. Pre-heat your oven to 180 then line your cupcake trays with cases. (I went for a plain and simple look due to my indecisiveness)

2. Sift together the flour, spices, salt, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda then set aside. 

3. Beat the butter, caster sugar and brown sugar together in a bowl until it's light and creamy. Then add the eggs one at a time making sure they are fully incorporated into the mixture. 

4. Stir in the milk and pumpkin puree and then add the dry ingredients making sure you don't over mix- it's very easy to do. 

5. Scoop the mixture into the cases making sure the mixture is evenly spread. (They want to be about 2/3 of the way full)

6. Bake in the oven for around 20-25 minutes until golden brown then leave to cool on a wire rack. 

7. Whilst your cakes are cooling it's time to make the utterly goodness for the top of them. Beat the butter in a bowl until it's soft. 

8. Add half of the icing sugar and beat it until it's super smooth. Top tip: Add it slowly unless you want a cloud of icing sugar to puff in your face

9. Add the rest of the icing sugar, vanilla essence and cinnamon and milk one tablespoon at a time. It should be thick but creamy enough to form a spread.

10. When your cakes are cool decorate however you wish. I don't have any piping nozzles at the moment, so I went for the deliberately messy approach topped with chocolate sprinkles.  

11. Sit down, put your feet up and enjoy your masterpiece

Disclaimer: The basis of this recipe came from here: http://allrecipes.co.uk/recipe/8521/pumpkin-cupcakes.aspx?o_is=rotd