Pumpkin Cupcakes with Spiced Mascarpone Frosting

By mirelsonp

Ingredients

• Frosting:
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2/3 cup canned pumpkin
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup golden raisins
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 recipe Spiced Mascarpone Frosting
• 1/4 cup crystallized ginger, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup softened mascarpone cheese
• 6 Tbsp softened butter
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger

Details

Servings 12

Preparation

Step 1

Cupcakes:
1. Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F. Grease and flour twelve 2 1/2-inch muffin cups; set aside.

2. In a medium bowl stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and cloves. In a large bowl combine eggs, pumpkin, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vegetable oil; whisk until smooth. add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture, one-third at a time, stirring just until combined after each addition. Stir in raisins and walnuts. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each two-thirds full.

3. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the centers comes out clean. Cool in muffin cups on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove from muffin cups. Cool completely on wire rack.

4. When cupcakes are cool, split each horizontally in half. Spread spiced Mascarpone Frosting over bottom halves of cupcakes, place top halves of cupcakes on frosting. Spread frosting on tops of cupcakes; sprinkle with crystallized ginger.

Frosting:
In a large mixing bowl combine softened mascarpone cheese, butter, cinnamon, and ginger. Beat with an electric mixer on medium to high speed until light and fluffy. Beat in 2 cups powdered sugar until combined. If needed to make spreading consistency, thin frosting with up to 1 tablespoon milk.