Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake Muffins

Today's edition of the Crystal Balls VI League's weekly meeting of grown men yelling at multiple TVs while incessantly checking their fantasy teams on their phone was sponsored by the always wonderful hosts Danielle and Marshall. Instead of the normal theme of meat and beer, they decided to class things up with a brunch theme complete with mimosas and absurdly decadent creme brulee French toast. For my contribution, I thought I'd show my appreciation to host Danielle and her gluten allergy by stepping up my baking game and braving the world of gluten-free cooking.

Would my gluten-free Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake muffins hit the spot, or would brunch be ruined forever?

Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake Muffins
Adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction
Servings: 12 muffins
Time: 60 minutes + cooling

Crumb goop!

Crumble Topping
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour (I used Bob's Red Mill)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake Muffins
1 3/4 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Spiced!

1/2 cup dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup canola oil
1/3 cup milk
1 tbsp vanilla extract

Cheesecake Filling
8 oz cream cheese, softened to room temp.
1 egg yolk
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp granulated sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 425 F. Line a muffin tin.
2. Make the crumble by mixing the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon together. Then stir in the melted butter until crumbs form (Note: mine just kind of turned into super wet dough, making me wonder if gluten-free flour isn't up to this task. But, it's still butter and sugar, so it can only add flavor). Set aside.
3. Make the pumpkin muffins. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice together in a large bowl.
4. Whisk the brown sugar and eggs together until smooth. Mix in the pumpkin puree, oil, milk, and vanilla until well combined.
5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ones and whisk until just combined.
6. Make the cream cheese filling by beating the cream-cheese in an electric mixer until smooth. Add in the egg yolk, vanilla extract and sugar until well combined.
7. Layer the muffin and cheesecake as such: 1 tbsp muffin batter-> ~1/2-3/4 tbsp cream cheese filling-> 1 tbsp muffin batter. Note: this will fill up the muffin tins to very close to the top, which you want in this case. Top with the crumble.
8. Bake for 5 minutes at 425 F. Lower the temperature to 350 (keeping the muffins in) and bake for an additional 12-15 minutes or until the toothpick test comes out clean (or nearly clean as you might get some melty cream cheese).
9. Let the muffins cool in their tin for 10 minutes then transfer to wire racks and finish cooling.
10. Enjoy autumn in style.

Note: one person would attempt to put the Whataburger Honey Butter on top of the muffins because Texas!

These muffins hit all the right autumnal notes I was looking for. The incredibly moist cake had just the right, powerful amount of pumpkin and spice to make you think you were having your favorite fall Starbucks treat, while the layer of cheesecake added a velvety richness making these worthy of even the most critical brunch-goer's Sunday Funday. My only complaint was that the crumble didn't really live up to its name, but, hey, added butter and sugar never hurt anyone.... The muffins were a huge hit, and I managed to not cross-contaminate them in my gluten-bomb of a kitchen meaning Danielle and her equally gluten-averse sister (now that's good genes!) were able to enjoy them. Now that I've recovered from the most wonderful of full belly lazy Sunday afternoon naps, I'm just hoping I can get my hands on that creme brulee French toast recipe.

Danielle was very relieved that these muffins were gluten-free and that she had just gotten a fresh manicure.

Pumpkin Chili and the Great Football Rib Adventure

Chili: the "it has a great personality" of foods

Perhaps I wanted to keep the pumpkin winning streak going following Pumpkin Cookie Cake and Pumpkin Chai Muffins, or perhaps I was jonesing for a fix after Starbucks' annual inexplicable post-Halloween removal of pumpkin spice lattes (It should be considered a crime against humanity, dammit!). Either way, when Sacha invited people over for some Sunday football, I knew I wanted to find a way to incorporate pumpkin. Since manly men hitting each other repeatedly is not really a desserty affair (although, I like to think it was the original failed pitch of Cupcake Wars), I decided I had to find a way to combine it with hearty meat. This pumpkin chili was the perfect call for a lazy "autumn" day (yeah, we don't really have seasons here in Houston). 

Pumpkin Chili
Adapted from All Recipes
Servings: 8-10
Time: 2+ hours

Even Owlie got in on the pumpkin fun. Not pictured: the mess he made on my table after drinking a beer his size.

Your kitchen will already smell good at this point

1 bottle pumpkin beer (I used Sam Adams Harvest Pumpkin)
2 lbs ground beef
Olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
1  1/2 green bell peppers, diced
2-3 jalapenos, minced and seeded
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 15 oz cans kidney beans, drained
1 28 oz can peeled and dice tomatoes in juices
20 oz tomato juice (about half a big can)
15 oz canned pureed pumpkin
1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
1 1/2 tbsp chili powder
1/4 cup white sugar
Salt to taste
Sriracha to taste
Fritos
Glorious, heaping amounts of football

Getting there but still needs some more reducing

1. Brown the beef in a large pot with a few ounces of pumpkin beer.
2. At the same time, sauté the onion, green bell pepper, jalapenos and garlic in a small amount of olive oil and a few more ounces of the beer. Let cook until the onions become translucent and the veggies become fragrant.
3. Drain the beef and add the veggies into the large pot. 
4. Mix in the drained kidney beans, tomato juice, pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, chili powder, sugar and remaining beer.
5. Let simmer for 1-2 hours until well reduced (you want chunky not overly soupy). Season with salt and sriracha to your liking.
6. Scoop into a bowl and top with awesomely crunchy Fritos. 
7. Enjoy with large amounts of football, beer, ribs and lounging.

Now properly chunkilicious and ready for football

This recipe had me more frightened than most. The original recipe seemed like it would be far too bland and did not seem to emphasize the pumpkin nearly enough, so I improvised. I upped the amount of pumpkin and cooked everything in pumpkin beer to hammer home everyone's favorite human head sized vegetable (Be careful what pumpkin beer you choose. I recommend using a more subdued one that isn't overly spiced). Something had to balance the smooth pumpkin, so I threw in chili standard jalapenos, which were conspicuously absent from the initial recipe, and added some always welcome sriracha to give just the right amount of heat. The result was an incredibly memorable dish that just screamed fall. It was perfect comfort food for a lazy weekend that filled stomachs with happiness and made our eyelids feel properly heavy.

I guess the chili was a hit...

The day did not end with pumpkin chili. Football fans also stuffed themselves silly with two kinds of guac (including my take) and salsa. Most importantly though, they got to eat Sacha's amazing ribs (which were so good they deserved their own sentence) to help them ease the pain of another Texans' loss (everyone should just come to their senses and be a Saints fan).

Carefully crafted and adapted from the Legendary Laura the RA recipe. Her guac was the first time I knew what love was.

Sacha's Smoked Rib Shack

Sacha tends to his ribs with even more care than he will show to his children one day. 

As much as my ego loves attention and delusions of culinary grandeur, I have to admit that my amazingly glorious pumpkin chili (like I said-ego) came in a distant second to Sacha's ridiculously smokey, tender, juicy and all around phenomenal ribs. Years of dedication and long hours consulting finally paid off by training Sacha to wake up super early and be productive. These ribs that were started at 6 am exploded with flavor that stole everyone's attention. We were so enamored with them, that we did not even realize the game we were watching had ended.

The sauced variety was just the right amount of messy.

The large bits of pepper really brought the rub to another level.

Look at that glorious layer of smoke. If only you could smell it and see it fall off the bone.

Pumpkinocalypse 2013: The Bakering: Pumpkin Chai Muffins

Muffin Mondays used to be a cherished part of my work week because I got to eat healthy fake cupcakes while letting staff meeting fade away to the background of non-tasty noise. Due to some sort of weird plague or other act of god, my grocery store was all out of pumpkin on Sunday forcing me to postpone Pumpkinocalypse (and thus Muffin Monday) to Tuesday. I had come too far (and purchased all of the other necessary ingredients) to let that stop me. I would combine my two favorite lattes into one delicious (and way less fattening than a latte) muffin- the fabled Pumpkin Chai!

Pumpkin Chai Muffins
Adapted from Squidoo
Servings: 24 muffins
Time: 35 minutes

Now how do I froth it?

4 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
4 tsp baking poder
2 tsp ground cloves
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp allspice
2 tsp cardamom
2 tsp ground ginger
1 1/2 tsp orange zest
1/2 tsp white pepper
4 tbsp instant tea powder (unsweetened)
1 cup butter
1 cup vanilla yogurt
2 tsp vanilla
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups pureed pumpkin
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cloves, cinnamon, allspice, cardamom, ginger, orange zest, white pepper and instant tea together in a large bowl. Set aside.
3. Melt the butter and let cool.
4. Beat the vanilla yogurt, vanilla, eggs, pumpkin and sugar in with the melted butter until smooth.
5. Gradually mix in the dry ingredients using a stand mixer at low speed until just incorporated (be careful not to overmix).
6. Fill lined muffin tins 2/3 full with batter.
7. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until the toothpick test comes back clean.
8. Remove the muffins from the tin and let cool on wire racks. 
9. Eat with a very mellow, low on flavor drink to counteract being bombarded by amazing spices.

Must resist the urge to frost... Slowly get back into baking..

Now these muffins packed a powerful punch. Whereas my earlier Pumpkin Cookie Cake truly highlighted all that is good and pumpkin in the world, these muffins brought forth a whole lot of spicy punch. This felt like autumn in convenient bite-sized form. All the fantastic chai spices really hit you with a gentle backing from the moist pumpkin and an intriguing finish from the white pepper (seriously, the white pepper seems out of place, but it's awesome). I definitely recommend a nice glass of silk to balance out this super breakfast.

After making these delightfully tasty treats, I did think of a few possible ways to improve them (aside from saying "healthiness be damned" and making them a cupcake). Adding walnuts or golden raisins could definitely add another dimension and some texture to these. Similarly, the pop of biting into freshly chopped ginger would also help elevate things to a whole new level.

Oh, that's right. I forgot all this baking makes my kitchen really messy. Oh, well. That sounds like a problem for future Terry. He's a sucker.

It felt great to be back to destroying my kitchen (it really was freaky seeing it so clean). Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go feverishly apologize to my stand mixer for our rough patch.

Pumpkinpocalypse 2013: The Bakering- Pumpkin Cookie Cake

This summer I played a fun game called "let's see how far I can bend my knee in an unnatural direction" (soon to be a major TV event on NBC). In the end, physics won that game, and one shiny new zombie knee later, I found myself confined to a recliner and missing the days of baking bliss in my kitchen. My poor stand mixer just sat there in its little corner all alone and abandoned. I would crutch by and not be able to look it in its face. Now that I'm finally back on my feet, I had two choices. Either I could take my newfound zombie knee strength and take the NFL by storm, or I could make it up to my beloved and neglected best kitchen (aid) buddy. Fame and fortune be damned! It was time to get back to work.

Why hello, old friend. Oh, how I have missed thee.

Since all of nature from my lattes to my beers has been taken over by the giant looming specter of the pumpkin, I figured there was no use fighting it. I would make my triumphant return to the kitchen with fall's greatest round orange thingy (after all this time, I still have a way with word type stuffs). Plus, it was time to show all my new coworkers who only knew me as that weird guy in shorts with a limp what my real expertise was in.

Pumpkin Cookie Cake (or cookies)
Adapted from BHG.com
Servings: 3 cakes, or 36 cookies (or 2 cakes and 16 cookies)
Time: 30 minutes

Cookies 

Don't even look at it! It's all mine!

2 cups butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
2 eggs
1 tbsp vanilla
1 15 oz can pumpkin
4 cups all-purpose flour
Walnuts (optional but highly recommended)

Frosting
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla 
2- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. 
2. Whisk the sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg together in a large bowl.
3. Cream the butter using  a stand mixer at medium speed for 30 seconds until light and fluffy.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed butter and combine well.
5. Mix in the eggs one at a time.
6. Stir in the vanilla and pumpkin.
7. Marvel at the disgusting mix that stands before you.
8. Gradually add in the flour until just incorporated.
9. Marvel at the delicious bowl of batter in front of you and vow to horde it for yourself.
10. Stir in walnuts if necessary (you really should to add some crunch).
11. Drop in tbsp sized lumps on baking sheets covered in wax paper or spread in a round baking pan (it rises a lot, so don't fill it too much).
12. For cookie cakes, bake 14-16 minutes or 12-14 minutes for cookies (basically until the top sets).
13. Let cool on a wire rack.
14. Decide that 2 cups of sugar weren't enough and vow to fight this injustice by making frosting.
15. Melt the butter and brown sugar together in a saucepan over medium heat. Remove.
16. Mix in the milk and vanilla then slowly add the powdered sugar until it reaches your desired thickness (not too liquidy) and sweetness.
17. Once the cookie (cake) has cooled, spread on a thin layer of the frosting and let it set.
18. Realize you still have almost an entire bowl of super sugar.

    

    This is what I imagine tooth lava would look like (note: it looks better on the cookies).

    I decided to make some pumpkin cookies so I would have an excuse to browse Better Home and Garden's website that I could emphasize the sweetness of pumpkins to go with some healthier and muffins focusing on pumpkin spiciness (stay tuned, true believers!). After I baked my first batch of cookies, I was a little concerned with how they were setting and their general super softness. So I improvised! I threw the rest of the batter in two round baking pans and mixed in some walnuts to create the only thing that could possibly outshine the brilliance of a cookie- a cookie cake (at least until I figure out how to make a cookie cake pie).
    

    

    In between the sugary frosting and moist cake lies a majestic top layer of buttery cookie goodness.

    In the end, I had two amazing treats for the effort of one. The cookies were extremely light and really showcased the smoothness that is pumpkin, but the cookie cake really raised the bar. The cookie cake baked beautifully, providing a moist cake with a buttery top that was truly melt in your mouth. The frosting added another layer of almost mapley sweetness (but beware, a little goes a long way), while the walnuts provided some much needed crunch to balance the smooth pumpkin cookieness (man, I missed making up food words). This truly is a great way to explain to someone why pumpkin is so amazing because it really stands on its on in these cookies without being bolstered up by an overabundance of spices (I saved that for the next one).

    

    Cookies are great and all but why not have the best of both worlds by putting them in cake form?

    This cookie (cake) was enough to make me thoroughly satisfied with diving back into baking madness, but could my healthy option, Pumpkin Chai Muffins, raise my baking confidence and ego to even higher, almost unsafe levels? Check back tomorrow to find out.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies (and Bonus Pizzaness!)

Following my triumphant return to the world of self-indulgent food bloggery with yesterday's Spicy Coconut Shrimp with Mango Basil Salsa and Lime Jasmine Rice, I decided it was time to finally finish writing about my Halloween Treat Trifecta. Since I already had two cupcakes (see: Reese's Peanut Butter Cupcakes and Salted Caramel Apple Cupcakes), I figured it was only appropriate to conclude the Devil's holiday with appropriately themed cookies (well, that or finally start trying to make my own candy corn, but triangles are tricky, y'all). Can pumpkin and chocolate coexist for a delicious treat, or will I send my fellow sweet toothed partygoers home screaming?

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Adapted from All Recipes
Servings: 24 cookies
Time: 20 minutes

1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup granulate sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp milk
1 1/2 tbsp pure vanilla extract
2 cups milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Aside from the slight spray tan like tint, this appears to be normal cookie dough.

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
2. Combine the pumpkin, sugar, vegetable oil and egg in a bowl using a stand mixer.
3. Whisk the flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon and salt together in a large bowl.
4. Dissolve the baking soda with the milk and stir it in.
5. Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin and mix until just incorporated.
6. Mix in the vanilla, chocolate chips and nuts.
7. Place spoonfuls on a greased cookie sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes or until lightly golden brown and firm.

There is definitely a certain muffinyness to these cookies, which I thought worked rather well with the pumpkin flavor. But, then again, I love any dessert that allows me to convince myself it's breakfasty and therefore healthier. I highly recommend trying these fresh or warmed up as the gooey chocolate chips really bring out the best in the mellow pumpkin. While they may not have been as devilishly cavity inducing as the cupcakes, these subdued cookies helped balance out our Halloween Party.

PIZZA MADNESS

Since man can not live on sweets alone (or at least my doctor recommends that I wouldn't live long on them alone), our Halloween party and special showing of Zombieland was not yet finished. Kevin and I took over his boss's super awesome and fancy brick oven to serve up hot, amazing pizzas to the moviegoers all night (I imagine it looked something similar to that famous I Love Lucy chocolate factory episode). Here are some of our creations (Marvel as I attempt to remember what they were after 6 months!):

Chicken and Jalapenos and many cheeses and super background fire!

Your standard all encompassing supreme pizza highlighted by poorly lit sausage (also the title of the world's worst adult film).

Pineapple and jalapenos and probably some kind of meat for Hawaiian like sweet and spicy!

Be careful not to get the crust too close to the fire...

I highly recommend spending a night pretending you own your own pizza parlor by making a multitude of brick oven pizzas because playing with fire is fun and gooey melted cheese is fantastic. I would also highly recommend growing a kick ass mustache for just such an occasion.

Thanksgiving Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle

The gingerbread men have no idea what's about to transpire

I love Thanksgiving. It's a time to ignore family and wait in line for days for Black Friday deals. Wait, no, that's wrong. It's a time to stuff yourself with delicious food until you can't pry yourself from the couch (luckily there's lots of football on to keep you entertained on said couch). This year, I flew back to L.A. to take over the original kitchen where I honed the dark culinary arts. For some unknown reason (see just about every other post I make), my sister signed me up to bake something, so I decided to tackle one of the first things I ever made: The pumpkin gingerbread trifle.

When you own a trifle bowl, you have to use it

Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle
Adapted with less diabetes from Paula Deen
Servings: Your entire Thanksgiving crew
Time: 60 minutes (plus cooling)

1 box instant vanilla pudding
Milk (as required by the aforementioned pudding)
15 oz pumpkin pie filling (filling not the pumpkin)
2 Gingerbreads (recipe follows)
Gingerbread Man cookies
Whipped Cream (Premade or from this recipe)
Cinnamon for dusting

Nice, well defined layers...

1. Prep the gingerbread in a circular baking pan and let it cool (see below or just get a box from the store if you're short on time).
2. Make the vanilla pudding as directed by the box (typically you mix the pudding with 3 cups of milk and beat for 2 minutes). Let the vanilla set for at least 5 minutes to thicken.
3. Mix in the pumpkin pie filling.
4. Cut gingerbread to fit the bowl (If you don't own a trifle bowl you can also use a punch bowl or make individual ones in cups. Also, if you don't own a trifle bowl go buy one now, you'll use it all the time....) and place one at the bottom of the bowl. If any parts don't quite reach the edge of the bowl, be sure to fill it with your gingerbread shavings or it's gonna get messy.
5. Scoop pudding onto the center of the gingerbread and spread evenly. Again, start from the center to avoid it getting too messy.
6. Spread whipped cream over the top of the pudding.
7. Repeat steps 4-6 to finish off the final 3 layers. 
8. Dust the top with cinnamon and strategically place gingerbread man cookies. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Gingerbread

Modified from AllRecipes.com

Servings: 2 small round gingerbread cakes

1/2 cup vegetarian shortening, softened

The batter reeks of molasses

1/3 cup sugar

1 cup molasses

3/4 cup milk

1 egg

2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground cinnamon

3/4 tsp salt

1. Preheat the oven to 350.
2. Cream the shortening and sugar together in a stand mixer.
3. Add the molasses, milk and egg.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon and salt. 
5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ones in two batches while mixing at medium-low speed until fully incorporated. Be sure not to overmix.
6. Grease two round baking pans and pour in the batter. 
7. Bake for 20-25 minutes (or until the toothpick test comes back clean) making sure to rotate once halfway through. 
8. Let cool before starting the trifle.

The least exciting looking cake ever (but it is crazy bouncy)

The first time I realized I might actually enjoy this whole cooking thing was at last Thanksgiving when my sister put me on dessert duty. We decided on a pumpkin gingerbread trifle and a bourbon pecan pie (both Paula Deen staples). More importantly, we bought the glorious trifle bowl which continues to fill me with wonder to this day. I had no idea what I was doing in the kitchen, but I was determined to make that trifle bowl look cool (and validate the $50 I just spent on the least manly thing ever). It was a much simpler baking time then with gingerbread mixes from boxes and frozen pie crusts, but it was a lot of fun and helped get me started on this cooking path. The results were utterly delicious and the epitome of what the holidays should taste like.

I would not advise shoving your face into the top of the trifle bowl despite how much it calls you to do so.

This year, now that I know how to use an oven safely (haven't burned myself in almost 2 weeks!), I decided to liven the recipe up by making my own gingerbread. The gingerbread had me very worried at first because it was heavy on the molasses and the batter didn't quite come together as much as I had hoped it would. In the end, it turned out very subtle, and I might even consider increasing the amount of cinnamon and ginger (or even adding a hint of pumpkin pie spice). This subtlety was a welcome addition, though, because it helped it blend perfectly with the pudding and whipped cream.

Harry and Faye also suffered from extreme post-Thanksgiving fullness and tiredness.

Speaking of the pudding, it's the most perfect and delicious pudding you will ever have. I actually removed a bunch of sugar, cinnamon and pumpkin pie filling that Paula Deen had which would have killed it with sweetness. What you're left with has just the right hint of pumpkin to bring home the holiday. Once you top it all with whipped cream and a crunchy gingerbread man cookie, you have a magnificent combination of layers that will leave you and your guests completely satisfied and feeling the holidays with each bite. 

Who needs a turkey when you can have lentil loaf?

Aside from the dessert amazingness, I also made one of my favorite veggie "meat" dishes, lentil loaf, which ended up being a huge hit even with the carnivorous folk. It was great being back in L.A. and spending time with my sister, brother-in-law and the puppies. Although it was a little disconcerting that Harry so readily replaced me with a toy duck as his new best friend.

This recipe would later inspire my spooktacular Halloween  Pumpkin Cupcakes.

Halloween Spooktacular: Pumpkin Cupcakes

Now that I've been in Houston for a month, it was time for a housewarming party. This was no ordinary housewarming; it was a Halloween housewarming. Naturally, instead of worrying about decorating for the party, I decided to focus my efforts on baking. I made my Whoopie Pies (the ultimate cooking sandwich and my favorite post ever) and pumpkin cupcakes inspired by my Thanksgiving dessert Paula Deen's Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle.

Pumpkin Cupcakes
Cake part from AllRecipes.com
Servings: 24 cupcakes
Time: 60 minutes

Judging by the smell of the batter, I knew it was gonna be awesome.

4 eggs, slightly beaten
3/4 cups vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup corn starch
4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
Pumpkin Pudding (see below)
Whipped Cream (see below)
Pumpkin shaped candy corn for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Mix the flour, corn starch, spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a bowl and set aside.
3. Blend the eggs, oil, sugar and pumpkin together over medium low speed using the paddle attachment of a stand mixer.
4. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix over low speed. Be careful not to over mix.
5. Fill cupcake liners ~2/3 full with batter and bake for 20 minutes or until they pass the toothpick test. Make sure to rotate once halfway through.
6. Let cool on wire racks. Once cool, cut out the center of the tops and fill with pumpkin pudding (see below for recipe).
7. Top with whipped cream frosting and a pumpkin candy corn.
8. Look awesome in your halloween costume eating cupcakes.

The cupcakes were already amazing without the extra toppings and fillings. They were a great mix between pumpkin pie and gingerbread. They had an amazing consistency and incredible bounce to them, not to mention the wonderful aroma that filled my apartment.  The true highlight, though was my friend Heather walking in on me making cupcakes and listening to Dr. Dre. Nothing says delightful baked goodness quite like classic 90s rap. I'm just glad she didn't walk in while I was also dancing.

Pumpkin Pudding

From Paula Deen

1 packet instant vanilla pudding

2 cups milk

1/2 can (15 oz) Pumpkin pie filling

Pudding and cupcakes together at last.

1. Make the instant pudding by following the package instructions (basically whisk the milk and pudding together for 2 minutes then let set). 
2. Add the pumpkin pie filling and mix well. If you can't find the pie filling canned you can approximate it with pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, sugar and sweetened condensed milk.
3. Let sit in the fridge for a while if it's not setting well.

This pudding is super easy to make and delicious. I really just wanted an excuse to have it again. The only thing you have to worry about is the pudding being too runny. You don't want people biting into cupcakes oozing with liquid, so adding condensed milk or even a little sour cream or cream cheese can help thicken it.

Whipped Cream Frosting

Adapted from Alton Brown

Previously Seen in Tres Leches

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 cup whipping cream

8 oz sugar

1 tbsp vanilla extract

Green food coloring

At last success with food coloring. The trick is to make it slightly darker than mint green.

1. Whisk together the ingredients until peaks start to form.
2. Ramp up the speed until it thickens.

I decided to go with a whipped cream frosting, so the cupcake would be more reminiscent of pumpkin pie. The topping from the tres leches had a nice vanilla flavor and was just the right amount of sweet, so I decided to go with it again (and add some green food coloring so they looked more like pumpkins). I also made sure to put enough whipped cream that my friend dressed up as Mario got it all over his fake mustache.

Without Alexis' awesome frosting gun (may it rest in peace), my decorating skills took a hit.

The cupcakes were a hit. They pumpkin flavor came out nicely without being overwhelming and it reminded everyone fondly of pumpkin pie. The filling was actually a little unnecessary since the cake itself was good and moist enough, but it was a welcome addition since I don't really know how to make just simple cupcakes. I'll definitely be making these a holiday staple.  But more importantly, I totally rocked my Captain Malcolm Reyonolds (Firefly) costume.

The pants were authentically tight, which definitely was not at all related to the baking I've been doing...

Little known fact: the crew of Serenity used their smuggling money to support their love of baking (especially Jayne).

And let's not forget the whoopie pies which were scary good (see what I did there) as always. You can't really see it, but the filling is orange.