Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcakes

Hello, PSL lovers!

Do you love that sweet and spicy combination and wish you could enjoy its flavour year-round? Well, I’m here to satisfy your cravings in cupcake form!

Mrs. Minty is a certified Pumpkin Spice Latte lover (with soymilk, pleaseandthankyou), so I made these especially for her. The frosting looks like regular old buttercream, but is a caramel-fudge flavoured frosting with a hint of cinnamon, just like the stuff drizzled on top of your foam. These babies stay moist even two days after baking. Make some and enjoy pumpkin spice all year round!

Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcakes – Recipe by Agent Minty

Cupcakes – makes 12 medium cupckaes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup pastry flour
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 1 tsp cinnamon powder
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 cup plain pumpkin puree
• 2 tsp ground flaxseed
• 1/4 cup non-dairy milk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/3 c brown sugar
• 1 1/2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

Instructions:

1. Set oven to 375F.
2. Combine flours, baking powder, baking soda, spices, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
3. In a medium bowl, combine oil, pumpkin puree, and flax until evenly mixed.
4. Add remaining ingredients to oil/pumpkin mixture and stir well.
5. Add wet mixture to dry ingredients.
6. Stir until evenly mixed and smooth, but do not overmix.
7. Divide batter between 12 lined muffin cups.
8. Bake in centre of oven for 18 minutes, rotating pan halfway through.
9. Transfer cupcakes to wire rack to cook for at least half an hour before frosting.

Cinnamon Caramel Frosting

EDIT October 2015: I mistakenly put the wrong volume of icing sugar when I originally published this recipe. The volume below is the corrected amount!

Ingredients:

• 6 Tbsp (packed) brown sugar
• 4 Tbsp +2 Tbsp non-dairy milk
• 6 Tbsp good quality margarine
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
• pinch salt
• 4 cups icing sugar

Instructions:

1. Combine brown sugar and 4 Tbsp milk and microwave for 20-30 seconds until sugar is dissolved and bubbly. Set aside.
2. Beat margarine until softened. Add in vanilla, cinnamon, and salt.
3. Mix in 1/3 of the icing sugar. Beat until fluffy.
4. Combine the caramel mixture and the remaining cold milk.
5. Mix half of the milk mixture into the frosting.
6. Mix in half of the remaining sugar, followed by the rest of the milk mixture.
7. Mix in the rest of the sugar and beat until fluffy.
8. Pipe or spread onto cooled cupcakes.