Pumpkin Cupcakes

As soon as autumn arrives, everything is pumpkin; pumpkin soup, pumpkin ravioli, pumpkin coffee, pumpkin ice cream, pumpkin butter, pumpkin pie. Pumpkin, pumpkin, pumpkin. Imagine my surprise then, when I realized I have only posted one other pumpkin recipe in two years (this vegan banana pumpkin walnut bread last October)! So here we go...

For several years, I've made the classic PB and chocolate combo for my dad's birthday. Take a peak at these cupcakes and you will see why. This year we broke tradition and decided on pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. I was paging through the latest Food Network magazine not long after and found a recipe for pumpkin cupcakes in their "50 Things to Make with Canned Pumpkin" article.

The recipe starts as a spice cake and FN suggests doubling it to make cupcakes. I used Trader Joe's organic canned pumpkin, grown and processed in Oregon, which sells for $1.99 a can. Any pumpkin puree will do, just be sure not to use pumpkin pie mix which comes pre-spiced. Speaking of spices, FN calls for pumpkin pie spice which I substituted with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. The picky side of me prefers to add them individually. My only gripe with the recipe is the TWO sticks of butter in the cake. I didn't have time to experiment with the fats/oils this time around but I'm determined to lower the saturated fat in the future. Top these spicy cakes off with a sweet frosting like the cream cheese frosting you have already seen me pair with carrot, banana, and more.

Banana Pumpkin Walnut Bread

Here's an easy vegan quick bread, perfect for autumn. This bread combines two favorites - banana bread and pumpkin bread. The addition of oats and walnuts give the bread a nice texture.

Banana Pumpkin Walnut Bread
Makes one loaf

1/2 c. oats
2 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. ground gloves
1/2 c. pumpkin puree
3 ripe bananas, mashed
1/4 c. maple syrup
1/4 c. soy milk (or other nondairy milk)
1 t. vanilla
1/3 c. walnuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease an 8 in. by 5 in. bread pan.

Combine oats, flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and spices in a large bowl.

Mash bananas in a separate bowl. Whisk in maple syrup, soy milk and vanilla, and mix until smooth.

Combine dry and wet ingredients and stir just until incorporated. Fold in walnuts. Transfer batter to your bread pan and bake for approximately 45 minutes.