Pumpkin Cupcake Recipe with Vanilla Bean Buttercream

These cupcakes are moist and rich with vanilla flavor that is unlike anything else. This recipe is adapted from a Martha Stewart Classic, but with Rodelle's spin on it.

Ingredients

Pumpkin Cupcakes

• 1 cup (2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
  
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
  
• 2 tsp baking powder
  
• 1-2 tsp salt
  
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  
• 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
  
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
  
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
  
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  
• 2 tsp Rodelle Pure Vanilla Extract
  
• 1/2 cup Rodelle Vanilla Sugar
  
• 1 Rodelle Vanilla Bean, split and scraped
  
• 2 large eggs
  

Vanilla Bean Buttercream

• 4 egg whites
  
• ½ tsp salt
  
• 1 cup granulated sugar
  
• 2 tsp Rodelle Pure Vanilla Extract (or 1 tsp Rodelle Vanilla Extract and 1 Rodelle Vanilla Bean, split and scraped)
  
• 4 sticks (2 cups or 32 tbsp. or 16 oz.)unsalted butter, softened (room temp)
  
• 5 cups powdered sugar plus more for consistency
  

Optional:

• Replace 2 sticks of butter with cream cheese.
  

Directions

Pumpkin Cupcakes

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
  
• Line muffin tins with paper liners.
  
• In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat and continue to cook, swirling occasionally, until butter turns golden brown.
  
• Skim foam from top, remove from heat, pour into bowl and let cool.
  
• Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. In another bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, both sugars, eggs, and brown-butter mixture
  
• Add the flour mixture, and whisk until just combined
  
• Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full
  
• Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes.
  
• Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes
  
• Frost with Vanilla Bean Buttercream
  

Vanilla Bean Buttercream

• Place egg whites, salt and sugar in a large mixing bowl, whisk thoroughly.
  
• Place egg white mixture in a double boiler and heat water to a simmer on LOW to just warm the egg whites (the small amount of indirect warmth from the water underneath will help dissolve the sugar while NOT cooking the eggs).
  
• Heat until sugar is dissolved, about 3-5 minutes.
  
• Set egg white mixture aside and let cool.
  
• With the paddle attachment on an electric mixer, cream butter on medium until creamy.
  
• Slowly add the egg white mixture ½ cup at a time, scraping down sides as needed.
  
• Change to the whisk attachment and whisk for 2-3 minutes until creamy and well incorporated.
  
• Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing on medium and then high in between.
  
• Mix on high for 1-2 minutes until frosting is light and fluffy.
  
• If the frosting is too heavy, add additional powdered sugar (1/4 cup at a time) until fluffy.
  

Other Recipes with Pumpkin Ingredients: Bourbon Vanilla Bean Pumpkin Pie Recipe, Pumpkin Pop-tarts Recipe with Vanilla Bean Glaze, & Pumpkin & Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée Recipe