October's Cupcake Of The Month: Pumpkin Cupcakes

It's finally starting to feel like autumn now! Well, at least where I live. Last week, we had our first rain of the season, and after so many months of 90+ temperatures, it was really nice to be able to put on a jacket and a scarf. I didn't really appreciate that it rained two days after I washed my car though... but that always happens to me, so I don't really know why I'm surprised anymore.

In other news, I start my volunteer work with Reading Partners tomorrow! It's a program in California, New York, and Washington, D.C. that offers free tutoring to elementary school children who are behind in reading or are reading below grade level. I'm going to be tutoring twice a week, Mondays and Wednesdays, and I'm so excited! I have two students and I'm going to meet both of them this week. I'll only be spending an hour a day though so that means I'll only see each student once a week. But hopefully, my time spent with them will make a small difference. 

Anyway...

These cupcakes came out way better than I expected. They were moist and soft, even after spending a night in the fridge! And they smelled heavenly while they were baking. The cream cheese frosting that I made to go with it paired perfectly too. Sweet cinnamon with a slight tang from the cream cheese, and then this rich spicy goodness from the cake. Mmm... autumn at its finest.

The Ingredients (makes about 2 dozen):

For the cupcakes:

-2 cups flour
-3 tsp baking powder
-2 tsp baking soda
-1/4 tsp salt
-2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
-1 tsp ground cinnamon
-2 cups sugar

-1 1/4 cups plus 1 tbsp vegetable oil

-1 tsp vanilla extract
-2 cups pumpkin puree

-4 eggs

For the frosting:

-16 oz cream cheese, softened
-1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
-2 cups powdered sugar, or to taste, sifted
-1 tsp vanilla extract
-1 tsp ground cinnamon

The Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line your muffin pan.

2. Sift together the flour, powder, soda, salt, pumpkin spice, and cinnamon and set aside.

3. Combine the oil and sugar in your mixing bowl. Blend in the vanilla and pumpkin. Then the eggs one at a time.

4. Add in the dry ingredients in increments, thoroughly mixing and scraping the bowl between each addition. Fill cupcake liners about 2/3 full and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Rotate the pans halfway through to ensure even baking. Allow to cool completely before frosting.

5. Cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth and combined. Mix in the vanilla and then slowly, about a tablespoon at a time, add in the sugar. Then add the cinnamon.

6. Frost cupcakes and garnish.

7. Consume and enjoy!

Blueberry Coffee-Cake-Ish Cake

This blueberry coffee-cake-ish cake (I say -ish because I'm not an expert on pastry classification) is a sweet-but-not-too-sweet, moist cake. It's delicious with coffee and tea or even on its own as a snack.


My finished product is a little darker than what I wanted and what I usually end up with but that was entirely my fault. I used a different pan than I would normally use, which made the batter spread out thinner, so I forgot that it'd take less time to finish baking. The inside should be more of a golden-yellow color, not brown like mine.


*Special thanks to my friend,Thao, for taking all the pictures featured in this post. All two hundred of them that I had to look at and filter out.*


The Ingredients:
For the cake:
-1 cup butter, softened
-1 tbsp vegetable oil
-1/2 cup packed brown sugar
-1/2 cup granulated sugar
-3 eggs
-2 cups flour
-1 tbsp baking soda
-1 tsp salt
-1 cup milk
-1/2 cup blueberries, tossed in 1 tsp flour (if you're using frozen, keep in the freezer until needed or the berries could stain your cake)
For the topping:
-1/2 cup blueberries
-1/4 cup granulated sugar
-1/2 tsp ground cinnamon


The Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Cream butter and sugars. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and the paddle.

3. Sift together the flour, salt and baking soda.
4. Add the oil and eggs one at a time to the butter/sugar mixture, beating each one until just incorporated, and scraping the bowl and paddle after each.

5. Reduce speed and add in 1/3 of the dry mixture (no need for formalities, just eyeball it.) Scrape.

6. Making sure to scrape and mix well between each addition, add 1/2 the milk, then another 1/3 of the dry, the rest of the milk, and finally the rest of the dry ingredients.

7. Fold in the blueberries that have been tossed in flour.

8. Pour batter into a baking pan that has been greased and dusted with flour. Use a spatula to spread and even out the batter.

9. Mix the sugar and cinnamon together.
10. Sprinkle the second 1/2 cup of blueberries over the top of the batter, then follow with the cinnamon sugar.

11. Bake for about 45 to 50 minutes. It's best to check on it about 20 minutes in to rotate as well as to check how far along it's baked so far, that way, you can better judge how much more time is needed.

12. Consume and enjoy!