Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

Recipe Courtesy of DC Cupcakes

Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 3 tsp. baking powder
- 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp. allspice
- 1 tsp. ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 cup butter, at room temperature
- 2 cups sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
- 2 tbsp. honey
- 1/3 cup hot water
Frosting:
- 1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
- 8 cups icing sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature (1 1/2 blocks)
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line two standard cupcake pans with baking cups, or grease pans.
2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and salt in a bowl, and set aside.
3. Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer or in a bowl with a handheld electric mixer. Beat on medium speed until fluffy. Stop to add sugar; then beat on medium speed until well incorporated.
4. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing slowly after each addition. Mix in the pumpkin puree and honey. Reduce the speed to low. Add one third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, then gradually add one third of the hot water, beating until well incorporated. Add another third of the flour mixture, followed by one third of the hot water. Stop to scrape down the bowl as needed. Add the remaining flour mixture, followed by the remaining hot water, and mix slowly until just combined. Take care not to overmix the batter so the cupcakes will bake up light and fluffy.
5. Use a standard-size ice cream scoop to fill each baking cup with batter, so the wells are two-thirds full. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
6. For the frosting: Place all the ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer; beat until well combined. Be sure to beat on high speed for at least two minutes at the end to ensure that the frosting is light and fluffy.

**I absolutely love these cupcakes, they are amazing.  The cupcake is so good just by itself, without the icing.

Enjoy!