Gingerbread Cupcakes with Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting

• Total Time: 30 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 8 cupcakes

• 1 box prepared gingerbread mix , prepared to packaged directions
• 1 egg (for mix)
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
• ½ cup canned pumpkin puree
• ¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 1 orange, zest of (optional)
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 ½ cups confectioners' sugar
• shaved crystallized ginger , for garnish (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat Oven 375 degrees F.
2. Divide prepared cake mix into nonstick muffin tins or you may use muffin wrappers, sprayed with oil.
3. Bake for 20 minutes.
4. Batter will make 8 to 10 muffins depending on size of tin used.
5. Beat cream cheese, pumpkin orange zest and vanilla with hand mixer at medium speed.
6. Beat in sugar until frosting is fluffy.
7. Frost Cupcakes and garnish as you please.

Reviews

[JenniferK2]

I made these for a Thanksgiving dessert. The flavor was good, though I would probably put less orange zest next time. The real problem was that the frosting was soupy. I added a stick and a half of butter to firm it up and then chilled it before using and that helped quite a bit. But I had WAY more frosting than needed for the cupcakes. I know I added bulk with the butter, but there would have been way too much even without that. I would suggest using 2 pkgs of gingerbread mix for this amount of frosting. Will make again, just will need to adjust.