70th Birthday Cupcake Duo

Back in November, my mom threw a 70^th birthday party for a family friend. Although the guest of honor requested no big cake, I decided that cupcakes were an appropriate way to mark the occasion. The birthday girl decided on lemon and pumpkin, so I brought out a recipe for Lemon Cream Cupcakes I had made before and loved and tried a Pumpkin Ginger Cupcakes recipe she had found online, topped with a basic Cream Cheese Frosting. Although the two flavors were not, perhaps, the most expected pairing, both got rave reviews at the party.

More Pictures and Cupcakes after the jump...

Mamas make excellent baking assistants

Lemon Cream Cupcakes (from allrecipes.com)

What you need…

Cupcakes:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups sour cream

Frosting:

• 3 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
• 2 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon grated lemon peel
• 1 tablespoon milk

What to do…

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add lemon peel and vanilla; mix well. Combine dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream (batter will be thick). Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups with 1/4 cup of batter. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. For frosting, cream butter and sugar in a small mixing bowl. Add lemon juice, vanilla, lemon peel and milk; beat until smooth. Frost cupcakes.

**Every time I have made these cupcakes, the frosting ends up with a consistency more like a glaze than a frosting. It’s confusing at first, but it tastes delicious**

Lemon Cream Cupcakes decorated with a little lemon zest

Pumpkin Ginger Cupcakes (also from allrecipes.com)

What you need…

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 (3.4 ounce) package instant butterscotch pudding mix
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 cup butter, room temperature
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree

What to do…

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease 24 muffin cups, or line with paper muffin liners. Whisk together the flour, pudding mix, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ground ginger, allspice, cloves, and crystallized ginger in a bowl; set aside.

Beat the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until light and fluffy. The mixture should be noticeably lighter in color. Add the room-temperature eggs one at a time, allowing each egg to blend into the butter mixture before adding the next. Beat in the vanilla and pumpkin puree with the last egg. Stir in the flour mixture, mixing until just incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared muffin cups.

Bake in the preheated oven until golden and the tops spring back when lightly pressed, about 20 minutes. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack. 

Cream Cheese Frosting (compiled and modified in my head from many sources, I’m sure)

What you need…

• 8oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened
• 2-3 cups powder sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Juice from ½ lemon (optional)

What to do…

Mix cream cheese and butter in electric mixer until softened. Gradually add in the powder sugar (if you try to add it all at once it will go flying. Trust me on this). Add vanilla extract and lemon juice, if desired (the lemon helps brighten up the frosting. I also happen to think lemon is awesome). Mix until texture is light and fluffy. 

Pumpkin Ginger Cupcakes topped with Cream Cheese Frosting

Party Ready!