Pumpkin Cheesecake Cupcakes

      Sometimes its so darn hard to wait for the holidays. I think I'm worse than my kids! The leaves start to change around here and I'm ready for blankets, warm fires and the smell of baking cinnamon (not the oil, that actually makes me want to gag!- think of the store Michael's).

I must say it makes me so happy to not only get the house set up for the joy filled holiday season but having the aromas of the time of year just makes it even more special. 

This is one of those cupcakes that will make you happy the moment you start to stir in the pumpkin spice -- and it just gets better and better until these dreamy delights come out of the oven. 

Pumpkin Cheesecake Cupcakes

1 8 oz pkg of 1/3 less fat cream cheese (room temp)

½ cup of confectionar’s sugar

2 eggs plus one egg white

1 ½ tsp vanilla

1 ½ cups of flour

2 tsp of pumpkin pie spice

1 ½ tsp of baking powder

½ tsp of salt

1 cup of pumpkin puree

¾ cup of sugar

½ cup of unsalted butter

 buttercream

2 sticks of unsalted butter

8 - 12 oz of 1/3 less fat cream cheese (depends on you)

1 pound of confectioner's sugar

1 tablespoon of vanilla

 directions

Preheat oven to 350.

Use an electric mixer combine cream cheese and confectioner’s sugar and beat for 2 minutes. Add 1 egg white and ½ tsp of vanilla. Put in refrigerator until ready.

Whisk flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder and salt. Using a mixer with a paddle attachment cream together pumpkin puree, 2 eggs, sugar, butter and 1 tsp of vanilla. Then combine the flour mixture with the pumpkin puree concoction.

Using an ice cream scoop layer the cupcakes with a small amount of puree first, then add a dollop of the cream cheese mixture and then more of the puree batter on top.

Bake for about 25 minutes –checking around 20 

For Buttercream

Beat butter and cream cheese with a mixer. Lower the speed and add confectioner’s sugar –slowly, about a cup at a time. Add vanilla and combine until smooth. Dust with more cinnamon.