10.15.2009

MSC: Pumpkin Patch Cupcakes!

I'm super excited for my first MSC post! As I mentioned, Martha Stewart's Cupcakes Club is an online baking group where members take turns picking cupcakes from Martha's book and we all bake along and blog about it. Martha + cupcakes + blogging = fabulous!

For this month's recipe, Kim of What the Whisk picked Pumpkin Patch cupcakes. Kim's blog is super cute - be sure to check out how her cupcakes turned out. The photos are stunning! And what a perfect pick for October. Coincidentally, I caught part of Martha's Halloween special on FLN this weekend - tons of cute ideas for party decorations and all things Halloween. Makes me wish I was throwing a Halloween party!

These cupcakes turned out super moist and rich. The combination of pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves never disappoints... but what really made these cupcakes special was the addition of real pumpkin. I have to admit, it took me forever to peel the pumpkin, remove the seeds, chop it up, and grate it in the food processor. But it was worth it in the end. After all that time spent on the pumpkin, I went the simple route for decorating and used those mellowcreme pumpkins that line the shelves this time of year. They looked cute, but the next day the orange sugar had started to melt and create little orange pools around the pumpkins. Luckily my co-workers didn't mind and still gobbled them up!

The cream cheese frosting was also wonderful - it was fluffy, creamy, and rich. Probably the best cream cheese frosting I've ever had. The recipe made a TON so I had quite a bit left over. I spread it on low fat honey grahams and made sandwiches, then stuck them in the freezer to made pseudo ice cream sandwiches. Although Mr. QC loved the cupcakes, he said the frosting sandwiches were out of this world. Overall my first MSC adventure was a big success... and I'm looking forward to the next one!

8 comments:

  1. welcome to the club! i was super excited when i got accepted too, last month! =) this club is so much fun!

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  2. Your cupcakes look wonderful. I'm impressed that you used a fresh pumpkin. I love the little pumpkins. Glad these were a hit and the "ice cream" sandwiches sound delicious. Thanks for your kind words and baking along with me this month.

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  3. Oh! Cream cheese frosting on graham crackers is such a good idea! These cupcakes have been a big hit with my family and co-workers; my husband has been eating them by the half-dozen. I'm new to the club, too, and I'm excited to have another excuse to bake! Thanks for sharing!

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  4. Wow! You used fresh pumpkin. Gold star! :) They look really yummy. Great job. - mary the food librarian

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  5. I am so glad you are a part of our group!

    And look at those cupcakes! Awesome!

    When adding candy toppers to any cupcakes, be sure to do it before serving because they do melt! I learned that lesson many times! ;)

    And the fact that you used fresh pumpkin makes you a super baking diva in my book! Way to go, super star!

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  6. Welcome to the group! Your cupcakes are lovely and I think the candy pumpkins were the perfect toppers! This is my favorite cream cheese frosting (or any frosting for that matter) - I could eat it with a spoon it's so delicious!

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  7. Glossy, gorgeous cupcakes! And I love your idea for using the leftover cream cheese frosting! yummmmm

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  8. Fresh pumpkin, wow! I bet that made them taste even better. I love your graham cracker sandwhich idea, I will have to try that next time I have leftover frosting.

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