Spice Cupcakes with Pumpkin Buttercream

For the bakesale, I decided to go with varaiants of chocolate, vanilla, and a seasonal cupcake, so I chose to do a spice cake with my signature pumpkin buttercream. They are so easy to make, but look so adorable and seasonal!

Spice Cupcakes with Pumpkin Buttercream

Spice cupcakes, from Gourmet:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Pinch salt
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup unsulfured molasses stirred together with 1/2 cup boiling water
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a bowl, whisk together the flour, the baking soda, the spices, and a pinch of salt.
In another bowl, with an electric mixer cream together the shortening and the granulated sugar, beat in the egg, and beat in the flour mixture alternately with the molasses mixture, beating well after each addition.
Divide the batter among 12 paper-lined 1/2-cup muffin tins and bake the cupcakes in the middle of an oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Turn the cupcakes out onto a rack and let them cool completely.

Pumpkin Buttercream:

2 sticks of unsalted butter at room temp.

1/2 c. pumpkin puree

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ginger

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 lbs. confectioner's sugar (more or less)

Cream butter, pumpkin and spices. Slowly add sugar until the buttercream is no longer seperated by the pumpkin. Use or keep chilled for up to 2 weeks.