Happy Halloween (and, happy Nevada Day, Nevadans)!
I hope everyone had a fun, spooky-scary weekend. Maybe you dressed up and hit the party circuit, maybe you handed out candy or just ate it by the handful, maybe you just lounged around and watched scary movies (guilty!)…whatever you did, I hope it was fun and festive.
I hope there were sweet treats involved and trickery of the good-natured variety.
Until next year ghoulfiends!
(bahaha, I’m totally cracking up about that one!)
One-Bowl Chocolate Cupcakes
from Martha Stewart
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
3.4 cup warm water
3/4 cup buttermilk
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large eggs, room temp.
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350F. Line 24 cupcake wells (2 tins) with paper liners or grease well.
In a medium bowl sift together all of the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt). Set aside.
In a large measuring cup whisk together buttermilk, water, eggs, oil, and vanilla, to combine. Pour wet mixture into dry and fold until just incorporated. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full and bake in the center of the oven for 16-20 minutes (mine were perfect after 17 minutes). Remove from oven and cool on rack completely before frosting.
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting
This frosting is pretty soft. I chilled it and then stirred vigorously before frosting.
1, 8ounce bar cream cheese at room temperature
4 tablespoons room temperature, unsalted butter
1/4 cup pure pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon bourbon (optional)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
pinch of salt
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Using a mixer beat cream cheese and butter until creamy. Add pumpkin, vanilla and bourbon and mix to combine. Beat in spices and then gradually add powdered sugar until completely incorporated. Beat on high until light and fluffy. Refrigerate, covered, if not using immediately.
Hahaha. Good one! Those look delicious. Everything’s better with cream cheese frosting, and adding pumpkin is a great idea.
Ha, thanks for thinking I’m somewhat clever too, Erica! Life is better with cream cheese frosting!
I’m a little confused – I don’t see the pumpkin in this recipe? It sounds great otherwise!
Nicole, I forgot to list the pumpkin! Nice catch…I fixed it and it should read correctly now. Thanks!
What a great idea with the frosting. And that chocolate cake base looks so moist and delicious!!
Thanks Natashia! It is an easy chocolate cake recipe too!
These look so good. I’m kind of obsessed with chocolate cakes that use brown sugar, so this is so appealing. Plus, who doesen’t love a one bowl cake recipe?
Oh, these sure look delish. And the frosting looks amazing! Pumpkin in frosting will be the next cool thing I bet. You’re such a trend-setter!
ha, thanks!
These are so classy and cute, Cindy! Love the photos!
I’m just all about class, haha…thanks Nicole!
I actually made chocolate cupcakes with cream cheese frosting last night too! The addition of pumpkin puree is interesting, I need to try it out!
Erica, nice! I like the way you think ;)
This is actually my favorite choc cake recipe and I’ve been using it for years – yum! I like that it’s consistently moist and springy every time. I’ll have to give it a try with the brown sugar/buttermilk that you used. I’ve been looking for a pumpkin frosting recipe for a long time though. Too bad pumpkin season is over; I think it would feel wrong to have pumpkin anything in January! I’m bookmarking this one and will definitely be making it this fall!!
nice! Thanks Janae!