[personal profile] stoney321
First, those pumpkin spice cupcakes with cinnamon cream cheese frosting:

I took this from Mah-tha, but embellished it to make it my own. (Also, I doubled this - the original that you see here makes 18. I'm feeding a crowd, so.)

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon coarse salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1 cup packed light-brown sugar
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree


Things I added: 1/2 C (for the doubled recipe, 1/4 if making as is) of my homemade pumpkin butter. Makes them super moist and super-tastastic. If you don't have that on hand, add applesauce or apple butter. It just makes cakes better, and I sometimes forget that. (Like when I made you a cake, Lee! Sorry!)

Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice; set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together, brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, and eggs. Add dry ingredients, and whisk until smooth. Whisk in pumpkin puree.
  3. Divide batter evenly among liners, filling each about halfway. Bake until tops spring back when touched, and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating pans once if needed. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.


Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
For the doubled recipe, use 2 packages of Neufchatel cream cheese (less fat, all the taste) If doing the As Is version, use one package.
Powdered sugar (I didn't measure)
Cinnamon, either pre-ground, or you can be all fancy and grind it yourself. I opted for the first because I'm lazy.

Let cream cheese come to room temperature, add 1/2 C powdered sugar to the bowl and mix. (just need a spoon, really, don't go dirtying up a mixer for this.) Continue to add sugar until the cheese has a consistency of frosting. Add several dashes of ground cinnamon. You want it to be brown and speckled, but you don't want it to taste completely like the cinnamon. Bonus: you get to taste it several times. \o/

Caramel Topping
Oh, you read that right. Get a package of wrapped chewy caramels. Open about 20 of them, put in a microwave proof bowl and run it for about 20 seconds. You don't want to melt them, just soften them. (Conversely, you could work them in your hands until they're pliable.)

Roll out on a piece of parchment paper (or marble, or whatever) and use little canape cutters to make little stars, or what have you. Put one on the top of each frosted cupcake.

OM NOM NOM.


We're having carrot soup and homemade bread today to prepare our bellehs for tomorrow's feastings. Sally dog knows she's going to be getting a bone tomorrow, and she's all a'quiver with excitement.

I have so much cleaning to do today, plus sewing, plus napping, and avoiding the first two things. I think that fourth item is going to keep me the busiest. I need everyone reading this to tell me how much I suck for not getting a LICK of writing done all week, and how that is going to make the rest of my life miserable.

Since this is going to be a weird day online for most U.S. peeps, I leave you with things to read and laugh at, courtesy of 30 Rock's Tracy Jordan and Dr. Spaceman (spuh-CHEE-man:)
  • I believe there are 31 letters in the white people's alphabet!
  • I love you so much I'm going to take you behind the middle school and get you pregnant!
  • That's racist! I'm not on crack! I'm straight up mentally ill!
  • Affirmative action was designed to keep women and minorities in competition with each other to distract us while white dudes inject AIDS into our chicken nuggets.
  • So, here's some advice I wish I woulda got when I was your age: Live every week like it's Shark Week.
  • Stop eating people's old French fries, pigeon; have some self respect! Don't you know you can fly?

  • There's no real way to know just exactly where the human heart is.
  • Science is whatever we want it to be.
  • I am very serious about doctor-patient confidentiality, so I am gonna have to ask that all four of us keep this to ourselves.
  • Boy, it's crazy to think we used to settle questions of paternity by dunking a woman in water until she admitted she made it all up. Different time, the '60s.

(If you aren't watching that show, I just don't know what to do with you.) Have a GREAT holiday for those that celebrate! Have a GREAT Thursday for those that don't! ;)

[eta] because it's just too funny. Dennis' (pager man) letter to Liz [pre-emptive guffaw here]:
Dear Liz Lemon:

While other women have bigger boobs than you, no woman has as big a heart. When I saw you getting ready to go out and get nailed by a bunch of guys last night, I knew for sure it was over between us. And for the first time since the '86 World Series, I cried. I cried like a big dumb homo. And if it was up to me, we would be together forever. But there's a new thing called "women's liberation" which gives you women the right to choose and you have chosen to abort me, and that I must live with it. So tonight when you arrive home, I will be gone. I officially renounce my squatter's rights. I'll always love you. Goodbye and good luck. I'll never forget you.

Date: 2008-11-26 04:54 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] abusing-sarcasm.livejournal.com
Bonus: you get to taste it several times.

We should probably never bake together or nothing would end up going in the oven... *slurp*

Tracy Jordan is a prophet. But Kenneth is my boyfriend. I shall use my Kennth icon for you!

Happy Thanksgiving!

*hugs*

Date: 2008-11-26 04:57 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] a2zmom.livejournal.com
Happy Turkey!

And I adore that show. Next, you must do Jack's best lines.

Date: 2008-11-26 04:57 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] stoney321.livejournal.com
Nothing's impossible, except for dinosaurs!
Got your nose!

:)

Same to you and more of it!

Date: 2008-11-26 04:59 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] stoney321.livejournal.com
No, those shoes are definitely bi-curious.
SO that's how it works on "Bottom's Up" day. So Kenneth, I'm going to be your bottom and I want you to ride me hard.

:D DAMN, I love that show!!!

Date: 2008-11-26 06:00 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] cherusha.livejournal.com
Great read (I LOVE TRACY).

"I can’t read, Liz Lemon. My shameful secret is out! Now you know why I’m always running into the ladies bathroom. I can’t read! I sign my name with an X! I once tried to make mashed potatoes with laundry detergent! I think I voted for Nader! NADER!"
"Blue man! Were yo feet at?!"
"It's like an owl without a graduation cap. HEART. BREAKING."

Date: 2008-11-26 06:30 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] stoney321.livejournal.com
"It's DOCTOR King, and he had a DREAM not a FEELING."

:D

Date: 2008-11-26 07:03 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] a2zmom.livejournal.com
How they get away with some of those lines is beyond me.

Date: 2008-11-26 07:11 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] underthethrow.livejournal.com
haha your icon rocks

Date: 2008-11-26 07:18 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] dovil.livejournal.com
\o/ I love that show so much I want to take it behind the middle school and get it pregnant.

Date: 2008-11-26 07:20 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] crazydiamondsue.livejournal.com
I want to hold a mirror up to society and then win world record for biggest mirror.

Happy being thankful for elastic waist pants day, Laura!! Your cupcakes sound fantastico! I'm-a 'bout to start that double decker pie, I'll let you know how it turns out. We are house sitting and dog watching for Jen & Cherie (they gave us $100 bucks to watch a house with Rock Band, a covered hot tub, a hi-def TV, cable moden and Nutter Butters in the pantry. Suckers!) while they are in Kansas.

Today is Jonah's last day in daycare. Tomorrow I learn to crochet. Or mop my kitchen. Whichever. Thank you again for the bee-yoo-ti-ful baby gifts, I'll post pics of him with them later. Have a great day tomorrow, my leetle Stone-let!

(P.S. We're def going to see your dad's choir next week. Does he sign body parts?)

Date: 2008-11-26 08:34 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] kben.livejournal.com
I love this post so much I'm going to take it behind a middle school and get it pregnant.

P.S. Did you ever see Tina Fey on Howard Stern? Because it was AWESOME.
Edited Date: 2008-11-26 08:36 pm (UTC)

Date: 2008-11-26 08:43 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] bienegold.livejournal.com
Looooove 30 Rock!

Date: 2008-11-26 09:17 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] lycomingst.livejournal.com
If people don't watch this show, it's a sad thing, like an owl without a graduation cap. 8 [

Those cupcakes look delish.

Date: 2008-11-26 09:39 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] stoney321.livejournal.com
It's because everyone has a crush on Tina Fey. 9and they all get made fun of, methinks.)

I don't know their formula, I only know I love it! I love it enough to take it back behind the middle school and get it pregnant.

Date: 2008-11-26 09:40 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] stoney321.livejournal.com
*BEAMS*

I love this frakin' show.

Date: 2008-11-26 09:41 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] stoney321.livejournal.com
Hahahahahaha. I'm so glad y'all can get it out there. it's SO CLEVER.

"I've always imagined myself of a young Grace Kelly..."

Date: 2008-11-26 09:42 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] stoney321.livejournal.com
Oh, hooray! He won't sign much, but he's a chest man. This convo is freaking me out... :D

I'm SO GLAD that Jonah gets to be home with his Mom! (And miss the wave of crazy sick employees and babies in day care.)

Oooh, yes, tell me how that pie works out. It sounds GREAT. Have a GREAT holiday!!! (The in laws are now coming, so I'm hoping for a peaceful, no-grinding my teeth holiday.)

Date: 2008-11-26 09:43 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] stoney321.livejournal.com
!!! I did not see that, I need to hunt that down!!

Date: 2008-11-26 09:43 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] stoney321.livejournal.com
Seriously, one of my most favorite TV shows of ALL TIME.

Date: 2008-11-26 09:43 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] stoney321.livejournal.com
HEEEEEEEEE.

He wanted to buy me a drink? I already have a drink. Do you think he'd buy me some mozzarella sticks?

Date: 2008-11-26 10:19 pm (UTC)
tabaqui: (bouncebyfanbot)
From: [personal profile] tabaqui
Ooooh, damn, those sound *so good*. So damn good. Yes.
*waaaaaants*
*copies recipe*

:)

I hope regular salt is good enough? Heh.
Edited Date: 2008-11-26 10:21 pm (UTC)

Date: 2008-11-26 11:42 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] stoney321.livejournal.com
Oh, instead of coarse salt? Yes, just don't fill the measuring spoon all the way up and you'll be just fine.

Date: 2008-11-27 01:39 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] kben.livejournal.com
YOU DO. I don't remember where I found it. Maybe youtube? But maybe not.

But you must see it. It exemplifies her awesomeness by a million.

Date: 2008-11-27 01:41 am (UTC)
tabaqui: (Default)
From: [personal profile] tabaqui
Gotcha.
:)

*knows nothing*

Date: 2008-11-27 01:51 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] stoney321.livejournal.com
The only difference is that coarse salt (like sea salt or Kosher salt) is chunkier and has a "saltier" flavor, which sounds weird, but hey.

So if you use good old fashioned Morton's salt, then you just want to make it slightly less because of the size of crystals. (Or conversely, if you have a recipe that calls for salt and all you have is sea salt, you want to add a touch more.)

:)

Date: 2008-11-27 01:56 am (UTC)
tabaqui: (Default)
From: [personal profile] tabaqui
Innnnnteresting.
:)

Date: 2008-11-27 03:19 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] furikku.livejournal.com
I have been meaning to make pumpkin spice cupcakes (with delicious cinnamon frosting) recently, so clearly God has sent you to be my angel of yummy.

Date: 2008-11-27 12:48 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] stoney321.livejournal.com
And an angel spake unto me saying, "Thou shalt line thy pans of iron with a grease of some sort and thou wilt know that it is good, for thine breadstuffs shalt slip from their confines even as my people did slip from the confines of the Egyptians, yea verily."

Date: 2008-11-27 11:39 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mosrael.livejournal.com
Heyyy, I got funneled here via the Sparkledammerung series, which nearly made me bust a gut while reading them in a public library. Awkward, but worth it! I'm going to add you to my flist, since you write hilarious entries and have really cute pets. (I miss living with dogs ;_;) And! Your userinfo directed me to [livejournal.com profile] weepingcock, which kept me awake until 2 AM, possibly alarming the neighbors with repeated hysterical cackling. This is a good thing.

In short, you=radtastic. ^__^ *lurks benignly*

Date: 2008-11-28 12:34 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] minstrel666.livejournal.com
Too bad I don't have an oven. Oh, well, I can at least repay you for the recipe with this site: http://www.cupcakehero.com/.

Date: 2008-11-28 04:18 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] stoney321.livejournal.com
Oh, you can lurk malignantly, it's all good. :D

I'm glad to know I've made you laugh! That's my favorite. (Awww, thanks for the cute pets bit. They're all curled up here with me right now, in fact. )

Date: 2008-11-28 04:19 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] stoney321.livejournal.com
No oven??? Oh, poor dear. Ovens make homemade bread! :(

Oooh, I'm not familiar with that site, so double thanks!

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