Confession: I may have a slight pumpkin dessert problem. Problem, as in I want to eat every single pumpkin dessert recipe I see during the holidays.
Another confession: I am a mess. I am working on my organizational skills. I am trying really hard. It is bad Feng Shui to have a pile of dishes (clean or dirty) piled up in your sink. As soon as I clean and clear out, there is another pile. I do my best.
Here is the problem: pumpkin donuts, pumpkin crumbles, pumpkin breads, and pumpkin cheesecakes. In my opinion, any thing with pumpkin is the way forward and it is all good! I told you, it is a slight problem.
Pumpkin Cupcake
adapted from David Leite
makes18 cupcakes
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar
2 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk mixed with 1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups canned solid-pack pumpkin
Preheat the oven to 350° (175°C). Line a cupcake pan with 18 liners.
In a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugars on medium speed until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, salt, and pepper into a medium bowl.
Add the eggs 1 at a time to the mixer, scraping down the sides after each addition. Alternate adding the flour and milk mixtures, beginning and ending with the flour. Beat in the pumpkin until smooth. Scoop the batter among the cupcake liners — they should be about 3/4 cups full. Rap the filled pans once on the counter to release any air bubbles. Bake the cakes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes. Cool the cupcakes on racks completely.
Coffee Syrup
Ingredients
Makes enough for 18 cupcakes.
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon freshly brewed very strong coffee (or espresso)
1 ounce cinzano or marsala (you could use just the coffee/sugar too and it will be fine)
1/4 cup sugar
Mascarpone Frosting
adapted Martha Stewart
Makes about 2 cups
1 cup heavy cream
8 ounces mascarpone cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
Add the heavy cream to a medium sized bowl. With an elextric mixer on medium speed, beat the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. In another bowl, whisk together mascarpone and confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Gently fold whipped cream into mascarpone mixture until completely incorporated.
Assemblying the cupcakes:
To finish, brush tops of cupcakes evenly with coffee syrup. I only added it to the cupcakes the adults were having. God knows my children don’t need any more energy. Then pipe or spoon on the mascarpone frosting onto your little beauties (the cupcakes). Dust some cocoa powder on it. ENJOY!
Brushing on the coffee syrup:
Yum. That’s all I have to say. Oh, and thank you for reading my blog and leaving me comments. Y’all are so sweet and kind. I wish I could have a cupcake right now with each and every one of you. And giggle a little. Or alot!
Cake Duchess is where you can follow the baking adventures of me! Hi! I'm Lora, a mom of two cuties in South Florida. I got into all this baking mess because of them. 
{ 44 comments… read them below or add one }
I love your blog! I am following! These look soo delicious!!
You’re right; this is SO much better than pumpkin pie
I am in LOVE with this. Holy Moses.
HA I had to do a double take when I saw the post before me.. anyways! You and I are so on the same page.. My name is Evan, and I have a pumpkin problem.. these cupcakes may have just pushed me over the edge!
oh my goodness Lora, these cupcakes look heavanly!!! you had me at mascarpone frosting!!! I love visiting your blog but its NOT good for my diet..I’m off to Philly so now I will have to have tiramisu for lunch!
I think it is worth buying a fireplace just to sit in front of with these cupcakes. I’m going to the fireplace shop tomorrow, I don’t care if it’s spring!
I love pumpkin. I love tiramisu. I love mascarpone anything. These are for me. And what a fabulous way to bake pumpkin that isn’t the usual pie. Plus there is mascarpone. Sold! I want two.
I love tiramisu!! I love your pictures!! These look soooo good! Can’t wait to try these!! xx
I LOVE you! These are the most delicious, amazing cupcakes I have ever seen. I would probably devour the whole batch.
What an inspired dessert! Tiramisu is one of my all-time favorite desserts and to take a pumpkin cupcake and to turn it into such is pure genius! I’m bookmarking the recipe and thinking this might need to show up on our Thanksgiving dessert table!
)
You know tiramisu is my all time favorite and now in cupcake form with pumpkin…swoon {and LOVE how much easier it is to comment now ; ) Brava}
I gain weight just looking over here! I love all the ingredients in these, so I’m tagging you! Come over to my site and have a little fun!
-Gina-
Oh my, these cupcakes sound just awesome! I can’t get enough of all the pumpkin desserts either, it seriously is a problem:) I try to keep my sink cleaned out to, I really do!
These look amazing! Will have to try these!
Yey, your blog is now letting me post as my WordPress persona!
I suppose if I run a quick mile on the wii board daily, I can stay Size (BLANK). Ehem.
Two of my favorite things, and on a TO GO version! Love, love, love. Thank you for sharing. This is indeed a very inspired dessert.
I too love anything pumpkin! Christmas it’s always my pumpkin roll. Starting now pumpkin breads, cookies, scones, pumpkin lattes, etc. Can’t get enough of it. I tried to make a chocolate pumpkin spice cake for Labor Day weekend and couldn’t find pumpkin in any of our stores!!!!
Oh my my my, those look so delicious! I have been on a pumpkin kick myself lately and this recipe is definitely getting bookmarked. IMO if you can find mascarpone cheese do it. The few extra bucks spent will be well worth it.
I think I have that same pumpkin problem…and the dish problem too. You have my sympathies and understanding…. this looks amazing…. I’m going to have to convert to gf and let you know how it goes. Thanks for a great recipe!
I would probably have eaten all of them
And I have the same pumpkin problem. I can’t get enough of the stuff. The Mascarpone frosting sounds amazing too. I am so eager to try out this recipe…talk about decadent and delicious! And thank you for your warm words today on my blog. They mean a lot to me (and to my family)
I am with you on loving all the pumpkin recipes out there and this is another one to add to my ever growing list. The frosting sounds divine!
Yum! This sounds and looks heavenly…I can only imagine how delicious it must have been.
Oh man, I am so in for these! I think you’ve hit a winner, they look amazing!
These looked so good I had to mention them on my latest post. J’adore the fall and all the pumpkin it brings.
I am on a Tiramisu (ice cream in particular) kick lately. I’m so glad I stumbled upon these.
I read your profile and I’m quite envious you escape South Florida in the summertime. A girl can only dream.
Divine! I love that idea. What awesome flavors.
Cheers,
Rosa
I am 5 months pregnant and have a pumpkin obsession this fall!! Who am I kidding…every fall (pregnant or not)! I am so making these delicious looking cupcakes – they look absolutely amazing! Thank you!
That is the most perfect looking cupcake I have ever seen…in my entire life!! YUM!
Oh my! This look heavenly! Pumpkin, coffee, AND mascarpone all in one? So good. Thanks for sharing this one…
Yes, you need to make up questions for others to answer. Sorry, I guess I don’t follow directions well. Thanks!
-Gina-
oh my goodness, someone said tiramisu? and a pumpkin cupcake? what have I done to deserve this? oh, and how they look, i’m drooling all over the place.
thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe
I love anything pumpkin, too, and these would be no exception! These look fabulous!!
Che deliziaaaaaaaa!!!
I am pretty sure I just died a little inside because I cant eat one of these guys right now! These look divine. Wow!
These ar lovely. I love the idea of eating one by the fireplace. It’s going to be 33 degrees here tonight. I may have no other choice!
What a great idea! I love pumpkin spice lattes, so I’m betting the pumpkin cupcake brushed with coffee syrup is really delicious. And the mascarpone frosting sounds perfect.
These are inspiring! What’s not to love about them? Mascarpone in frosting is a great idea!
These are absolutely delightful
OMGosh! These look absolutely lovely. If I had buttermilk onhand I’d whip these cupcakes up right now. This is getting bookmarked…I must make these!
Beautiful job.
Yum, yum, yum! Those sound amazing. I love the coffee syrup. I guess you don’t want to know that I have a fireplace 5 feet from my desk in my office, huh. I deal with the sink of dishes too though. ::sigh::
You had me at pumpkin… and tiramisu. Ok, these are just pretty much the perfect cupcakes, if you ask me!
Your pumpkin cupcake with this awesome frosting sounds perfectly delicious. I bet the aroma was amazing!
Oh these look tasty! I am also a pumpkin lover, as well as tiramisu, so these look like the perfect combination! Your blog is fantastic, and so elegant! Very impressive!
Oh my goodness. These look fabulous! We love pumpkin too!