I {heart} Pumpkin

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with Cinnamon Frosting

ByAbigail Turner

These pumpkin cupcakes are studded with chocolate chips and swirled with cinnamon-spiced vanilla frosting. They start with a boxed yellow cake mix, so they come together fast. That makes them a good choice for a fall party tray or a weeknight treat. Makes 24.

Ingredients

Cupcakes

  • 1 box (about 18.25 oz) yellow cake mix with pudding included
  • 1 cup canned pumpkin (plain pumpkin, not pie filling)
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, mini or regular

Cinnamon frosting

  • 1 can (16 oz) vanilla frosting
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon

Directions

  1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two 12-cup muffin pans with paper liners.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, pumpkin, water, oil, eggs, cinnamon and nutmeg. Leave the chocolate chips out for now.
  3. Mix on low speed until the dry mix is moistened. Then beat on high speed for 2 minutes.
  4. Fold in the chocolate chips with a spatula.
  5. Fill each liner about three-quarters full.
  6. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Start checking at 15 minutes, since that is often enough and overbaking dries them out.
  7. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Move the cupcakes to a rack and let them cool completely, about 20 minutes.
  8. Stir the cinnamon into the canned frosting until the color is even. Frost the cooled cupcakes.

Tips and a cookie bonus

Frost only when the cupcakes are fully cool. Warm cupcakes melt the frosting and the chocolate chips smear. Mini chips sp Both work.

Check that the can says pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling. The filling is sweetened and spiced, which changes the batter.

If you want a second treat for the same table, these pumpkin chocolate chip cookies use the same canned pumpkin.

  • 1 cup pumpkin
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup oil, or 1/4 cup margarine and 1/4 cup oil
  • 1 egg
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda dissolved in 1 teaspoon milk
  • 1 cup chocolate chips
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • Chopped nuts, optional

Stir the pumpkin, sugar, oil and egg together. Add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and the baking soda mixture, and mix well. Stir in the chips, vanilla and nuts if using. Drop spoonfuls onto a cookie sheet and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 10 to 12 minutes. Pull them at the early end of that range for a soft, cakey cookie.

If you add nuts, mention it to guests, since nuts are a common allergen.

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