Cream Filled Pumpkin Cupcakes

I've made these for my team at work for the past two years and they're becoming both famous and infamous. Everyone is excited to see them, but then they are mad at me because they smell and taste so good that they are tempted all day to eat nothing but cupcakes.

I had originally planned to make them in one night, but I was ahead of schedule on my to-do list for the week (Jeff and I are hosting a Halloween Party tomorrow so my to-do list was quite involved), so I made the cupcakes themselves one night and did the filling the next day. I would recommend doing it this way every time because I had forgotten how long the filling takes.

For the filling, you have to bring the milk and cornstarch to a boil, then remove them from the heat and let them come to room temperature. If you're making them all at once, I would definitely recommend doing this step while the cupcakes are baking, because you can use the rest of the bake time along with cupcake cooling time to wait for this stuff to come back down to room temp. I passed the time by practicing doing my hair for my Halloween costume this year (Rosie the Riveter). The hair didn't go so well, but by the time I gave up, the mixture had cooled, so I suppose it all worked out.

After having made the pumpkin whoopie pies this year and having loved that filling so much, I might go nuts next year and use that filling instead of this one. It would definitely make the cupcakes a heavier treat, but that spiced filling was just SO good. Also, the smell of boiled milk and cornstarch is gross, so I've always personally struggled a little with these cupcakes since I started making them myself because that's all I think of when I try to eat them.

Also, this year instead of spooning the filling into the cupcakes, I put it in a ziploc bag with the corner snipped off and piped it in, and this is definitely the way to go. I didn't even use a fancy pastry bag tip, but the speed and precision from the bag just blows the spoon method out of the water.

The original recipe suggests putting a clove stem in the top of the little "hats" (as I call them) once you place them back on top, but I have never done this because while it is cute, it means I have to buy clove stems so everyone can take them off their cupcakes and throw them away.

Recipe (Originally from Taste of Home)

Cupcakes

2 Cups Sugar

3/4 Cup Canola Oil

1 15oz Can Solid-Pack Pumpkin

4 Eggs

2 Cups Flour

2 Tsp Baking Soda

1 Tsp Salt

1 Tsp Baking Powder

1 Tsp Ground Cinnamon

Filling:

1 Tbsp Cornstarch

1 Cup Milk

1/2 Cup Shortening

1/4 Cup Butter, softened

2 Cups Confectioner's Sugar

1/2 Tsp Vanilla Extract

Directions:

-Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, beat sugar, oil, pumpkin, and eggs until well blended. In a separate bowl, combine Flour, Baking Soda, Salt, Baking Powder, and Cinnamon. Gradually add to Pumpkin mixture until well blended.

-Fill paper-lined muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool.

-For Filling, combine cornstarch and milk in a small saucepan until smooth. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; cool to room temperature.

-In a large bowl, cream Shortening, Butter, and Confectioner's Sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in Vanilla. Gradually add cornstarch mixture, beating until smooth.

-Using a sharp knife, cut a 1 inch circle 1 inch deep in the top of each cupcake (I tend to cut a cone shape). Carefully remove tops and set aside. Spoon or pipe filling into cupcakes. Replace tops.