pumpkin mocha cupcakes

Tomorrow is the first day of October! Ten days till my birthday, Halloween is just around the corner, and pumpkin is on every menu! Today a little treat from My Baking Addiction, Pumpkin Mocha Cupcakes. These are just lovely. The cupcakes are so moist. If you really like coffee though I would suggest substituting two cups of coffee in these treats instead of one cup of coffee and one cup of hot water. 

Recipe via My Baking Addiction

Cupcakes:

2 cups Gold Medal all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons homemade pumpkin pie spice
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup coffee, hot
1 cup hot water
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

For the Pumpkin Spice Buttercream:

2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 pounds (about 7 1/2 cups) confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/2 cup pure pumpkin puree
2 teaspoons homemade pumpkin pie spice
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line a muffin tin with paper liners.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or in a large bowl with a whisk, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and cocoa powder until thoroughly combined.

3. Add in oil, coffee, water, eggs and vanilla. Mix until well combined and smooth. Batter will be thin.

4. Using a large cookie scoop, distribute the batter between 36 muffin wells; about 3 tablespoons of batter per well.

5. Bake in preheated oven for 18-22 minutes or until the tops of the cakes spring back when lightly touched. Allow cupcakes to cool inside muffin tins for about 10 minutes.

6. Remove cupcakes from muffin tins and allow to fully cool on a wire rack. Once cupcakes are cool, prepare your frosting.

For the Pumpkin Buttercream:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter medium-high speed for about 6 minutes.

2. Turn the mixer down to low speed and gradually add in the confectioners' sugar until it is completely incorporated. Add in pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice and vanilla and mix until incorporated. Turn off the mixer and check the buttercream for taste and texture - add more spice if necessary. Turn the mixer back up to medium-high speed and beat the mixture for about 3-4 minutes or until light and fluffy. If the buttercream is a bit too thick, you add in a bit of milk one teaspoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached.

3. Pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes and if desired.