Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

It was pure torture to wait long enough to take a picture of this cupcake before biting into it!  Pumpkin cupcakes are one of our favorite fall treats.  The cream cheese frosting on top is amazing.  I'm actually not a big fan of pumpkin pie or fall spiced treats, but this only has cinnamon in it and tastes light and cakey.  I even baked my own pumpkins for the first time ever and used the puree for these!

Pumpkin Cupcakes (makes 24)

1 cup oil (I used olive oil.  You could probably try melted butter or coconut oil as well.)
2 cups sugar
2 cups pumpkin
4 eggs
Cream together.

2 cups white whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
Add to creamed mixture and stir well.  Scoop into 24 full muffin cups and bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Frost when cool.

8 oz cream cheese
1 stick butter (let both soften)
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Mix well and frost cupcakes.

I usually make the frosting and store it in the refrigerator, frosting the cupcakes as we are ready to eat them.  These can also be made into pumpkin bars by pouring the batter into a large baking pan and cooking it that way - sort of like a large sheet cake.  Yum!