Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

Every year since I met my best friend, she and I get together to organize a Halloween party. She is crazy about Halloween, she will begin to plan around August. She will probably spend $500 (or more) a year on this party. We put so much detail into everything, the rooms, the haunted house and this year it was my job to do dessert. You wanna know how we get along so well? We both have high expectations. So I knew my desserts had to be very thrilling. 
I was going to make three different desserts, brownies, meringues and cupcakes. I wanted the cupcakes to be really special, maybe I would finally do fondant! 
So I looked up a recipe and went to work melting the marshmallows. They are so horrible!!! I swear they make elastics from marshmallows, they just don't break and are oober sticky. Although I pursued and finished making it. "Why isn't in on the cupcakes" you ask? Well, it wasn't holding it's shape and melting all over the place! Yes, I did add icing sugar, but maybe not enough. *sigh* I tried popping it in the fridge but still, no... It does taste good, I give you that, but it was a bummer I couldn't use it. :\
Any tips and tricks on making successful marshmallow fondant?

Though the cupcakes themselves were so fantastic! Really moist and not too much icing, the flavours blend and complement each other really well. I got many complements from the guests, so it's not just me that likes them! :P They would be great at an up coming Halloween party- What's that I hear coming? A recipe?! So get your sleeves rolled up and put on an apron because it's baking time! The cupcakes were a recipe adapted from Martha Stewart.

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

Makes 24 large/ standard Cupcakes

2 cups                a.p flour
1 tsp                   baking soda
1 tsp                   baking powder
1 tsp                   salt
1 tsp                   cinnamon
1 tsp                   ginger
1 tsp                   all spice
1 cup                  brown sugar
1 cup                  sugar
1 cup                  melted butter
4 eggs                (slightly beaten)
15 oz.                 pumpkin puree

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium sized bowl whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices together. In a large bowl whisk sugars, melted butter and eggs. Add the dry ingredients and pumpkin puree. Whisk until fully combined. Pour into standard sized cupcakes liners. bake for 20-25 minutes. Let cool and enjoy!

Cinnamon Icing

1 cup                   softened butter
5 cups                 icing sugar
3 tbsp                  milk
1/2 tsp                 vanilla
1/4 tsp                 salt
1/4 tsp                 cinnamon
 1 tbsp                 brown sugar

In a large bowl beat butter and half of the icing sugar. Add milk, salt and vanilla. Add the rest of the icing sugar, brown sugar and cinnamon. Beat until fully combined. Transfer into pastry bag and pipe away! Enjoy!

After all the anxiety of the baking, everyone had a fun time at the party! We all enjoyed dinner, dessert, pumpkin carving and the haunted house. There was no dessert left at the end of the party. My friend wanted it all gone, so she gave everyone a bag and let them choose what they wanted to take home! Some people took home 3 cupcakes! Wow! I was so tired as soon as I got home I went to sleep. Now, if you'll excuse me I sort of need some more...

Elanne Boake