Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes

Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes

Last week, I bought two sugar pumpkins at the market – it’s that time of year again!!!  A few days ago, I baked the pumpkins and pureed them, with the intent of making some pumpkin pies.  Then I made the pies.  Everything was going just fine until I baked them… and somehow my oven ended up burning the crusts!  I thought, oh, it’s not so bad… but then I tasted them.  The pie filling was awesome, but since I had used a little bit of whole wheat flour in the crusts… once burnt… it tasted like cardboard.  Blech!  My pies were ruined!!!!

I spent about 2 days moping and getting mad every time I opened the refrigerator and looked at my messed up pies.  But yesterday night, I had an epiphany.  I scooped the filling out of the pie shell, and discarded the yucky pie crust.  Then I made these awesome “Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes”.

If you want to cheat, you can probably use the filling from a store bought pumpkin pie.  Or if you prefer to make your pumpkin

One of my burnt pumpkin pies

pie filling from scratch, just mix up 1 3/4 c. pumpkin puree, 2 eggs, 3/4 c. sugar, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. ginger, 1/4 tsp. cloves, and 1 can of evaporated milk and bake in a glass pie plate at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes until set.  Cool thoroughly before using.

This recipe makes about 16 cupcakes.

Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes:

• 1/2 pumpkin pie (about 1 c. filling only)
• 1 c. flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp.baking soda
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1 c. pumpkin puree
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1/2 c. brown sugar
• 1/2 c. canola oil

Cream Cheese Frosting:

Cooked pumpkin pie filling - rescued from the burnt crust.

• 6 oz. cream cheese
• 3 T. unsalted butter
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. maple extract
• 2 c. powdered sugar