Pump Pump Pump Pumpkin Up...

lol I couldn't help it. I had to use pumpkin in a funny way. ahhahahaha.

Some people go shopping when they are bored...or watch tv, or eat ....or whatever - I bake. Last week I had told Mr. Man that I wanted to send a packet of Halloween goodies to his job...

It would consist of a couple cookies, a slice of chocolate decadence (see Brownie with less flour), a seasonal cupcake and various treats for his team. He told me there were only 9 of them in the office so it was no big deal. I wanted to jump back into studying and working out tomorrow so I baked it all off today...

After I ran to the store and got a few things...




Truth be told I don't mind using generic basics, but I will not use generic chocolate and I must use real butter - I can't really get down with margarine or Crisco.



I started with the chocolate decadence first...since it's a one bowl mix and then you bake it off - it's pretty straightforward and then it's finished with a dusting of powdered sugar...



I really prefer the decadence coz it's closer to tart texture than a cakey brownie



While the decadence baked off I started the cookies - just plain old chocolate chip.



Buttery goodness floated up into the air while the logitech boombox pumped Tupac 'Classics'



done and done...now for the cupcakes




Here is the recipe:

Pumpkin Cupcakes

yield: 24 large cupcakes, 36 small cupcakes, 2 loaf pans
preheat oven to 350 degrees, sift together dry ingredients - set aside, stir pumpkin stuff and cream - set aside.
grease and flour pans of choice


2 3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup butter
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1 tsp vanilla
6 eggs
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1 1/2 c all purpose flour
1 1/2 c cake flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
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1 1/2 tsp pumpkin spice
1 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 c cream
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Cream butter and sugar, add vanilla, add eggs 1 at a time scraping and incorporating thoroughly between eggs. Alternately add dry and pumpkin mix making sure that it is thoroughly mixed. spoon into pans (Large cupcakes - 3 tbsp / Small cupcakes - 2 tbsp / Loaf pans - divide batch in half)

Cupcakes - 30 minutes
Loaves - 60 minutes

Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes

Cool 45 mins or in fridge.

Use a simple glaze mixed with 1 tablespoon of pumpkin puree, once that is stiff also drizzle plain icing

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Those are a long bake in my opinion...so I assembled the bags...candy first with a cookie base



then the baked goods baggie - cookie base then decadence then cupcake on top



Then put it all in a foil thing and it's set to send off...lucky suckas. hahaha.



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I have to say that I really like the taste of this cake it has a strong pumpkin flavor without that earthy weird flavor and it's very tender with a crisp outer crust. This is the first time I baked off a pumpkin cupcake from scratch - what I did was take a hard look at a pound cake recipe that I liked but found a bit dry - then adjusted the measurements to add the pumpkin puree and cream - fortunately it came out great the first time. Truth be told the icing isn't even necessary for flavor it's just an aesthetic.

I am also currently working on a low carb bran muffin - the first batch came out "ok" but I found it too dry and untextured so the next batch I'm going to add yogurt, apples and craisins. We will see.

...

With all these recent changes in my life I find that I have to create my own challenges in my days and see that all of this free time (well until March) is a blessing that I should use to my advantage. And...I like to bake out balls out just to see if I've still got it.

I do.