Cinnamon Cupcakes with Pumpkin Pie "Frosting"

Cinnamon Cupcakes with Pumpkin Pie "Frosting"

It's Day 3 of Pumpkin Week and here is another fun pumpkin recipe for you all to try! I made these cupcakes for Thanksgiving last year and they were so fun to make and share with everyone. These cupcakes are unique in that it's a cinnamon cake batter poured onto a graham cracker crust... and pumpkin pie is used for the frosting! Yes, real pumpkin pie (sans crust) is used for the frosting!!

This recipe is very easy to make, though it does take some time to prepare. There are four different steps to making these cupcakes. First, you have to prepare the pumpkin pie so that it's baked and cooled before you make the cupcakes. Because the cupcakes have a graham cracker crust, you have to prepare and pre-bake the crust before you fill with the cake batter. Then you have to prepare and bake the cupcakes, and lastly, frost the cupcakes with the pumpkin pie! But, trust me, the final product and everyone's reactions (yours included!) is so worth the effort.

Everyone will appreciate all the work that you've put into these cupcakes and love how different and creative these cupcakes are! If you're looking for something unique to make for Thanksgiving this year, but don't want to stray too far away from pumpkin pie, then these cupcakes are perfect!

Cinnamon Cupcakes with Pumpkin Pie "Frosting"
From Une-Deux Senses

For the cupcakes:
1 3/4 c. cake flour
1 c. sugar
1/2 Tbs. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. or 1 stick unsalted butter, diced, at room temperature
1/2 c. milk, divided
2 large eggs
1 large egg white
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. cinnamon

For the graham cracker crust:
3/4 c. graham cracker crumbs
2 Tbs. light brown sugar
3 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted

For the pumpkin pie frosting:
2 large eggs, beaten
1 can (16 oz.) pureed pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
2 Tbs. molasses
3/4 c. brown sugar, packed
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 Tbs. flour
1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk

The "frosting" should be made first as it takes the longest to bake and needs to cool before using. Preheat the oven to 425 F. In a medium bowl, mix together all the filling ingredients until well combined. Pour the filling into a 9-inch round pan. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce to 350 F and continue cooking for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the filling comes out clean. Let cool completely before using. (You can make this the night before making the cupcakes.)

To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a cupcake pan with liners, set aside. Sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Add the butter and 1/4 cup of milk. Mix on medium speed until smooth, about 4 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. In another bowl, blend the eggs, egg white, remaining 1/4 cup milk and vanilla. Add to the batter in 3 additions, mixing for 2 minutes on medium speed after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl in between additions. Set aside.

To make the crust, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter in a medium bowl and mix well. Add 1 tbsn. of the mixture into the bottom of each cupcake liner and bake for 5 minutes until the graham crackers are golden. Remove from the oven then fill about 1/2 full with the cake batter. Bake for 15 - 20 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely. To frost, scoop the pumpkin pie "frosting" into a piping bag and pipe onto the cupcakes.