Perfect Pumpkin Cupcakes
27 October 2010
Every year Halloween in the UK picks up more and more American traditions, cupcakes are definitely no exception. Probably the quickest way to get your sweet, baked fix it's also a great way to use up some of the pumpkin flesh you'll have left over from your pumpkin carving!
Tried and tested by our own in-house sweet-tooth, here's our very own recipe for pumpkin cupcakes. It should make 12 large cupcakes or loads more fairy size cakes.
What you'll need
300g Plain Flour
2 eggs
Dash of allspice
135g caster sugar (vanilla sugar is even better if you have it)
75g vegetable oil (tastes a lot better than it sounds - this is what keeps the cake moist)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla (essence just isn't right!)
270g fresh grated pumpkin
1/3 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
An oven preheated to 175c
What to do
1 - Grate up your pumpkin with a normal sized cheeze grater and leave to one side (you might want to dab off any additional moisture with kitchen towel)
2 - Sift together all your dry ingredients and mix through. Add oil and vanilla along with your 2 eggs and mix everything together well. As the batter comes together it will feel quite thick - that's fine, don't overbeat.
3 - Add in walnuts (if you're using them) and the grated pumpkin together and mix with a wooden spoon until well covered.
4 - Spoon into cupcake cases or fairy cake cases to 2/3 full.
5 - Bake for around 25min (for larger cupcakes) or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Voila! If you're feeling extra creative you could also ice them with a simple icing sugar/milk icing - transform them into a ghoulish delight with your children's favourite sweet treats.