Pumpkin Cupcakes

This was another item I baked for Thanksgiving at Mom's house. We always have a huge dinner with about 30-40 family members. It is my favorite holiday ever!!!! Everyone brings a few dishes and we eat all day long! I have been addicted to trying out new cupcake recipes and ever since I first found this recipe, I knew I had to make it. I LOVE cream cheese icing! These were perfect for fall. You could even make a few without the icing and enjoy them for breakfast!

INGREDIENTS

2 cups white sugar
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups canned pumpkin
4 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground cloves
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line cupcake tins with cupcake liners. (I found they bake up nicer with foil liners, rather than paper) Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and cloves. Set aside. In a large bowl combine sugar and oil. Blend in vanilla and pumpkin, then beat in eggs one at a time. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in nuts. Pour batter into cupcake cups. Bake in the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean. Allow to cool. Frost with your favorite cream cheese frosting, or whipped cream.

PUMPKIN-CREAM CHEESE TRUFFLES

I was trying to come up with pumpkin recipes for Thanksgiving. There were so many options out there and I wanted to try something new. Mom put me in charge of making two desserts and here is what I came up with. The first one I found came from Whole Foods!

They were a little difficult to make. I had to keep putting them in the freezer because they were getting soft before I dipped them. In the long run, it was all worth it! They turned out to be really yummy!

Makes about 30
These truffles pair pumpkin with gingersnap and graham cracker crumbs. For
the best results, chill truffles until you're ready to serve them.

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups white chocolate chunks
1/3 cup gingersnap cookie crumbs, plus more for garnish
1/4 cup canned pumpkin purée
1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs, plus more for garnish
1 tablespoon confectioners sugar
1/2 teaspoon orange zest
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of fine salt
2 ounces cream cheese, softened

Method
Melt 1/2 cup of the chocolate in a double boiler over medium-low heat or in the microwave for about 1 minute. Stir often to keep the chocolate from burning. Transfer to a large bowl. Add gingersnap crumbs, pumpkin, graham cracker crumbs, sugar, zest, cinnamon, salt and cream cheese and beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Transfer to a shallow bowl, cover and chill until just solid enough to roll into balls, about 2 hours.

Line a large sheet tray with parchment paper. Melt remaining 2 cups chocolate and transfer to a small, deep bowl. Roll 1 heaping teaspoon of the pumpkin mixture into a ball in your hands, then drop into the chocolate. Working quickly, gently spoon chocolate over to coat. Using a small spoon or fork, lift the truffle out of the chocolate, shake off excess and transfer to prepared sheet tray. Dollop a bit of extra chocolate on any parts that remain exposed, then sprinkle a few gingersnap or graham cracker crumbs over the top, if you like. Repeat process with remaining pumpkin mixture and chocolate, then chill truffles until chocolate is completely set, about 1
hour.

Starbucks VIA Coffee Chocolate Chip Banana Bundt Cake

This is another tasty recipe I found on my friend's blog! Liesl always finds great recipes so I trust anything she makes! I really wasn't in the mood to bake a cake last night, but one of my girlfriends (who used to be a Starbucks employee) insisted we bake the cake.  It was easy to make and paired well with a nice cup of Starbucks decaf coffee, compliments of Jessica Campbell!

Here is the recipe:

2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 packet Starbucks Via
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 medium bananas, mashed (approx 1 cup)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup milk chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350F.
Lightly grease a bundt pan.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, Via,
sugar and brown sugar. In a medium bowl, whisk together mashed
bananas, vegetable oil, buttermilk, egg and vanilla extract until
smooth and well-combined. Pour into dry ingredients and stir only
until no streaks of flour remain. Add in chocolate chips and stir to
evenly distribute. Pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake for about 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the
center comes out clean.
Cool in pans on a wire rack.

For the glaze:
Combine 1 cup powdered sugar with 2 Tablespoons Starbucks VIA Coffee
(I used about 1 teaspoon of the VIA and then added enough water to
make 2 Tablespoons). Brush glaze over cooled cake. Let some of the
glaze drizzle down over the sides.