Spiced Pumpkin Caramel Filled Cupcakes

With my busy schedule, I'm constantly looking for the time to blog. It's not always convenient to cook/bake, but no matter what it's always something I end up doing and inevitably taking pictures of. Some things, like these pumpkin caramel filled cupcakes, I save until the right time. Before I started this blog, I was already making cupcakes like crazy and photographing every last one of them. When I started blogging in March it took a lot of self control not to post this recipe. But, today is October 1st!! Halloween is approaching! Inevitably Jason will want me to dress up like a hooker sexy nurse or something, but I tend to ere on the conservative side when it comes to Halloween costumes, I am a mommy!

Last fall I focused all my culinary power into cupcake making. I was blessed to have a boyfriend who worked with lots of hungry men who were always willing to eat my creative endeavors, no matter if they were epic or just an epic fail. This year I'm not so lucky since Jason has changed jobs, but I'm sure if I made these again they wouldn't hang around anywhere for long. He told me that one of his coworkers was coaxing him to put a ring on my finger after eating one, and that's good enough for me.

My little Halloween butterfly - 2010

The idea to fill the pumpkin cupcakes didn't originally occur to me. It was only after I tasted one and found them a little dry that I decided to fill the inside with caramel. I copied one of my favorite bloggers, Annie from Annie's Eats with the decorations. For some reason, my point and shoot camera at the time took such vibrant pictures of these. I really miss that old camera since I've been stuck "borrowing" point and shoots from people ever since (mine was pretty rad for a cheap camera). Who knows, maybe I'll make them again soon. :)

Spiced Pumpkin Caramel Filled Cupcakes
*Makes 12 cupcakes

For the pumpkin cupcakes:

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
2 large eggs

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a 12-cup cupcake pan with liners.

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt, and both sugar. Set aside. In another bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, vegetable oil, and eggs until combined. Slowly pout the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until just combined and no lumps remain. Pour into the cupcake liners and bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cool before filling.

To fill, cut a small cone-shaped piece of cupcake from the middle of each one. Fill with caramel. Cut off the bottom of each cone and replace the top. Frost with a little more caramel and sprinkles/candy corn or with tinted icing of your choice.

For the caramel filling:

8 tbl salted butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup packed light brown sugar

In a medium pan over medium-high heat melt the butter, cream, and brown sugar together, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil and let cook until thickened stirring constantly, about 8 minutes. Let cool slightly and use or refrigerate and place in the microwave to soften before using.

Both recipes are adapted from Annie's Eats.