Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

I was in the mood for something with pumpkin - it's one of my favorite things about this season!!  I found this recipe here and thought they looked too yummy to pass up.  I've made pumpkin cupcakes before, but I thought I'd try a recipe that was a little different.  I will definitely be making this one again.

Pumpkin Cupcakes
recipe from Tracey's Culinary Adventures

• 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 cups cake flour (tip:  if you only have all-purpose flour on hand, you can substitute 1 cup minus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour for 1 cup cake flour)
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup buttermilk mixed with 1 tsp vanilla (tip: if you don't have buttermilk, mix 1/2 cup regular  milk with 1 1/2 tablespoons of white vinegar and let it sit for about 10 minutes)
• 1 1/4 cup canned, solid-packed pumpkin

Preheat oven to 350 F and line cupcake pans with 18 liners.

Beat butter and both sugars with a mixer on medium until fluffy, about 5 minutes.  Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt into a separate medium bowl.

One at a time, add the eggs to the butter/sugar bowl and mix.  Alternate adding the flour and milk mixtures, beginning and ending with the flour.  Lastly, add the pumpkin and beat until smooth.

Fill cupcake liners until about 3/4 full.  Bake cupcakes about 25 minutes (or until a toothpick comes out clean).  Transfer cupcakes to a wire rack to cool before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting
recipe from Martha Stewart

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
• 12 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
• 4 cups (1 lb.) confectioners' sugar
• 3/4 tsp vanilla extract

Beat butter and cream cheese with a mixer on medium until fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Reduce speed to low and add sugar, 1 cup at a time, and then vanilla extract.  Mix until smooth.

Refrigerate until needed (can be made up to 3 days in advance).  When ready to use, bring to room temperature and beat until smooth.  Makes about 4 cups.