Pumpkin Cupcakes with BRAIN Frosting!!!

What says HALLOWEEN and FALL better than Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting!?

NOTHING!

(another amazing recipe from the barefoot contessa)

 First line a cupcake tin with 12 paper liners & preheat oven to 350.

 What you will need:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

2 eggs (at room temp)

1 cup canned pumpkin puree (not the pie filling!)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

 Mix together the first 6 dry ingredients in one bowl.

 In a second bowl, combine the eggs, pumpkin, oil and sugars.

 Add half of the dry mix to the wet bowl - whisk together - then add the second half and finish mixing.  Don't over mix the batter.

 Yum!!! I love that color!

 I like to put the batter into a very large measuring cup - this way it is easier to pour it into each cupcake liner.  

 Fill each cup about 3/4 full.

Put in the oven for 18 minutes.

Now for the BRAIN frosting...

 Cream Cheese Frosting:

3 tbsp unsalted butter (at room temp)

6 ounces cream cheese (at room temp)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups confectioners sugar

 Look how good they came out!!!  Use a toothpick to test if they are done.  Stick it in the middle of one cupcake, pull it out - if there is not wet better sticking to the wood, you are good to go!  Let them fully cool now...

 Well, hello Taz!  Is that your new monkey toy??  Do you LOVE it?  I think you do...

 Use an electric mixer to bring all the frosting ingredients together.

 Delicious!

 Now, since it is Halloween... add one drop of red food coloring and mix well.  We want out brains to look nice and fleshy!

 Stuff the frosting into a zip lock bag - then snip a tiny bit of the corner off.  This will be our make-shift pastry bag!  How clever?  Yup...

 Try to divide the circle in half while squeezing the frosting on - then fill in each half with random squiggles.  The idea is that a brain has left and right hemispheres!  Get it?  

These are so yummy and moist!  I love making these all fall - you could always just spread the frosting on and leave the brain out!  But I'm about to watch THE WALKING DEAD... so I'm all about zombies eating brains right now.  HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!