As I have said in the past, I am by no means a baker unlike my mom who can whip up a pound cake or apple pie in the blink of an eye.

However, I recently I thought I would stretch my wings and take a baby step towards baking a new dessert. Inspired by the smell of fall, the rustling of leaves and pumpkins everywhere I decided to make pumpkin spiced cupcakes. Yes, I know cupcakes are probably one of the easiest things to bake but I am talking baby steps here.

So while looking for canned pumpkin at the grocery store (baby steps remember) I ran across pumpkin butter in the preserves aisle.  Don’t let the name fool you. I soon discovered that pumpkin butter does not contain butter at all. Since I was stretching my wings I figured I could try using pumpkin butter instead of canned pumpkin for the cupcakes.

The results…? Scrumptious cupcakes! I had my hubby test the cupcakes with a hot cup of Dunkin’ Donuts coffee and he was in heaven. I preferred a tall ice cold glass of milk. Whatever you choose to drink with your cupcake I have a feeling you will enjoy it.

For my fellow beginner bakers, try making my pumpkin spiced cupcakes. It will help build up your baking credentials. For more advanced bakers, making my pumpkin spiced cupcakes may just beef up your credentials even more.

Pumpkin Spiced Cupcakes

Ingredients:
1 box Duncan Hines french vanilla cake mix
3 tbsp Dickinson’s pumpkin butter
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (optional)
1 can cream cheese icing
¼ cup sliced almonds crushed
Cupcake foil cups

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare cake mix according to box instructions. Add pumpkin butter and pumpkin pie spice to batter and mix until well blended. Spoon into cupcake cups. Bake for 12 – 15 minutes until the center is done. Test by sticking a toothpick in the center of a cupcake and see if it comes out clean.

Spread icing on top of each cupcake and sprinkle with crushed almonds.

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