Double Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes

Another great pumpkin recipe! I used a cream cheese frosting with this one. I think I'll make these for my youngest child's school fall festival and put some of those cute orange pumpkin candies in the center of each cupcake.

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Serves: 24
• Yields: 24 Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄2 cups cake flour
• 2⁄3 cup cocoa powder
• 2  teaspoons baking powder
• 1  teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1  cup yogurt, plain lowfat
• 1 3⁄4 cups canned pumpkin (15 oz. can)
• 1  teaspoon white vinegar
• 2  teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1⁄2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1⁄2 cups brown sugar, lightly-packed
• 3  large eggs
• 1  cup  mini chocolate chip

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 24 cupcake cups with paper liners.
2. Sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt together; set aside. In a separate bowl, stir together the yogurt, pumpkin, vinegar, and vanilla extract, set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, and using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Alternately beat in the flour and pumpkin mixtures in thirds (for example, beat in 1/3 flour mixture followed by 1/3 pumpkin mixture and repeat until everything is combined). Fold in the mini chocolate chips.
4. Working quickly, spoon batter into cupcake cups, filling each about 3/4 full. Place cupcake pans in the center of the preheated 350 degree oven and bake approximately 25 minutes. Cupcakes are done when they spring back when lightly touched or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool pans on wire racks for 10 minutes then remove cupcakes from pans and let cool completely on the wire racks.