Halloween Pumpkin Cream Filled Spiced Cake with Caramel Frosting!

Michael and I just celebrated my birthday which was yesterday by going to our favorite noodle house on Sawtelle Blvd. and watching a little Nightmare Before Christmas. This is my favorite time of year, it is when the Holiday season starts, and when I really feel that we are able to get really creative with our food. Since I have a slight Halloween obsession we did 13 days of Halloween last year, this year we are going to take it a bit easy because we are having a fabulous Halloween Dinner Party!

We have made for you a wonderful spiced cupcake, filled with pumpkin whipped cream, topped with caramel frosting! Happy Halloween and happy birthday to me!!

*Assuming that you do not have piping bags, buy some sandwich bags and the inexpensive icing tube tips. Cut a corner of the sandwich bag, place tip in, and tape so nothing will get through. Voila!

Ingredients: makes 24

Cupcake:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½  teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs +1 yolk
1 ¼  cups buttermilk
1 ½  teaspoons almond extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ginger

Whipped Cream:

1 ½ cups cream
¼ cup pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon almond extract
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon allspice

Caramel Frosting:

1 Lb brown sugar
1 cup cream
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup butter

I would start by making the whipped cream and the frosting so that you can allow them to chill.

The whip cream is super simple, just put all the ingredients in a bowl and whip together until it starts to get stiff and forms peaks. Refrigerate.

To make the frosting bring sugar and cream to a rolling boil stirring frequently. Let boil for 1 minute, add baking soda, then let boil one more minute. Remove the sugar and cream from heat, then add butter. Do not stir, just let the butter melt, and cool completely. Once cooled, using an electric mixer, mix until becomes a thick caramel consistency. Chill.

 To make cupcakes preheat oven to 350, and line two cupcake trays with cupcake sleeves.

In a large bowl beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 6 minutes. Beat eggs in one at a time, including the yolk. Add almond extract.

In a different large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and ginger. Add a 1/3 of the flour mix to butter, and beat. Next add ¾ cups of buttermilk, followed by flour, and continue until you mix everything together and beat it.

Spread mix evenly into cupcake tins and bake for 25 minutes or until you insert a toothpick and it comes out clean.

Once baked and completely cooled take everything out of the refrigerator and it is now time to assemble. First we want to fill the cupcake with the whipped cream, so using a small knife, cut a hole out of the top of the cupcake, removing the middle but keeping the top layer. This way you can pipe in the whipped cream, and put the top part of the cupcake on so you don’t see the cream anymore. Next filling your second piping bag with the frosting, cover the top with frosting, and if you want top with some Halloween sprinkles!

Happy Halloween!