Baked Pumpkins and Pumpkin Cupcakes

So I baked 2 pumpkins between yesterday and today. Normally I have boiled them. But the Queen Of Pumpkins from Lombardi Ranch bakes her pumpkins. She says wash it real good. Snap off the stem thing, put it on an old cookie sheet and bake it in the oven until it is soft and collapses a bit. Let it cool then cut into it, peel off the skin and puree it. I did this and yielded 15 cups of pumpkin. Enough for 6 small pumpkin pies and 2 large batches of pumpkin bread and Pumpkin Cupcakes and a half recipe of Paula Dean's Pumpkin Cheesecake.

It will be interesting to see if Robby can tell a difference in the pumpkin. I'm not going to tell and I can guarantee he does not read my food blog. Ha!

Pumpkin Cupcakes
Makes about 24 cupcakes

2 1/4 cup sifted flour
1 tbs. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs, white thingies removed slightly beaten
1 cup pumpkin
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup cinnamon chips

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Green sugar sprinkles
Brach's Pumpkin Mallow things

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and mix. Add pumpkin and mix. Stir in dry ingredients alternating with the buttermilk. Mix until smooth after each addition. Add chocolate and cinnamon chips. Line muffin tins with cups or use souffle cups on a cookie sheet. Fill cups half way. Bake for 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Allow cakes to cool. Frost with Chocolate Buttercream. Sprinkle some of the green sugar and then top with one of the Brach Pumpkins. Enjoy your festive treat!