Contributed by Pam

Cupcake Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 can pumpkin
• 1 Tbsp vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp cloves
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup milk

On medium speed, mix butter and sugar until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time. Add pumpkin and vanilla, beat until well blended. Mixture will look separated.

In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and rest of dry ingredients. Stir 1/2 of dry mixture into pumpkin mix. Stir in milk until just blended. Add remaining dry mix, stir until just incorporated. Spoon batter into paper lined muffin cups.

Bake at 350 degrees until toothpick comes out clean (approx. 20 minutes). Let cool in pan for 5 minutes, remove and set on racks to cool (at least 30 minutes). Frost.

Frosting Ingredients:

• 6 oz cream cheese (room temperature)
• 6 Tbsp butter
• 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 Tbsp orange peel, finely minced
• 1/4-1/2 tsp orange extract

On low speed, mix cream cheese and butter until well blended. Beat in powdered sugar, orange peel, and orange extract until smooth. Frost cooled cupcakes.

*I did not use orange peel.
**You can easily double the cupcake recipe and still have plenty of frosting.