Pumpkin and Mexican Chocolate w/ Toasted Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

The Cakes:


2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 heaping tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 15-oz can pumpkin purée
3.1 oz. Mexican chocolate (4 “wedges”) shaved or grated

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice.

2. In a Kitchen Aid, mix together, brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, and eggs. Add shaved Mexican chocolate. Add dry ingredients, and mix until smooth. Mix in pumpkin purée.

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.

4. Frost with cream cheese frosting (1 stick unsalted butter, 2 pkgs light cream cheese, confectioners sugar to your liking) with lots of toasted cinnamon* added (at least 1 tablespoon). I decorated these with chocolate covered sunflower seeds from Trader Joe’s. *Toast cinnamon by heating it in a frying pan on low heat until aromatic.

this recipe was adapted from Martha Stewart's recipe for pumpkin cupcakes - I added the Mexican chocolate, took away some sugar, changed the brown sugar from light to dark and used different spices. And the frosting is all me!

Oh! And one more thing, these sparkler "candles" are super super cool, however, you have to light both at once or one will be 1/2 way done by the time you get the second lit. I found mine at a local boutique, but you can also get them here. See them aflame (and the excitement it evokes) below!