Pumpkin Cheesecake Cupcakes

These cupcakes are divine! I made these for our Thanksgiving gathering and everyone loved them. The pumpkin cake texture blends perfectly with the cheesecake filling and the brown sugar butter cream frosting is so light and fluffy it melts in your mouth. It's a great dessert because it's sweet but it's not overpowering. Like I said, they're simply divine!

I got this recipe out of a Rachel Ray magazine a few years ago and as soon as I saw it I wanted to try them but every holiday something would come up and I wouldn't get a chance to. I got a great deal on canned pumpkin this year so I stocked up and I'm glad I did. While searching my recipes to decide what I was going to contribute to our Thanksgiving feast, I came across this recipe again and decided that no matter what, I was making these this year. I'm so glad I did- and so was everyone else! This recipe is one I will put in my favorites list. I know you'll enjoy it too!


Recipe:

1- (8 oz) package cream cheese, room temp
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
2 large eggs, plus 5 large egg whites
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup light brown sugar
Simmering water
3 sticks (12 oz) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-sized pieces softened (still a little cold but softened)


1)  Place a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12 cup muffin pan with cupcake liners. Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and confectioner's sugar for 3 minutes. Beat in 1 egg white and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.

2) In a bowl, whisk the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt. In another bowl,  mix the pumpkin puree, 2 eggs, granulated sugar, oil and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Whisk in the flour mixture.




flour mixture




pumpkin puree mixture

 3) Using a cookie scoop or a spoon, layer each muffin cup with 1 scoop of pumpkin batter, then a scoop of the cream cheese mixture, then another scoop of pumpkin batter.

The filled pumpkin cups- if you look closely, you can see
the cream cheese swirled in between the layers of
pumpkin batter.

Bake until springy to the touch, about 25 minutes. Let cool.

4) Using the electric mixer, beat the brown sugar, remaining 4 egg whites and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Fill a medium saucepan with enough simmering water to reach a depth of 1 inch.; place the mixing bowl on top. Whisk the mixture until it registers 160 degrees on an instant-read thermometer.

5) Transfer the bowl back to the mixer and beat at high speed until fluffy; lower the speed and beat to room temperature, about 5 minutes. Add the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, then beat at high speed for 5 minutes. Beat in the remaining 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.

6) Transfer frosting to a pastry bag; pipe large rosettes on top of the cupcakes. Lightly sprinkle with nutmeg.

A truly divine dessert. Great for the holidays, perfect with a hot cup of coffee.
Wishing everyone a blessed, family-filled holiday season with many reflections on the true meaning of  Christmas. Happy Baking!