Double Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes

I came across this recipe just this year. We put a little candy corn on top after we frosted them! It was a fun festive treat.

1 1/2 C. cake flour
2/3 C. cocoa powder
2 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 C. plain lowfat yogurt
1 3/4 C. canned pumpkin (15 oz. can)
1 t. white vinegar
2 t. vanilla extract
1/2 C. unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 C. lightly-packed light brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup mini chocolate chips
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 24 cupcake cups with paper liners.
2. Sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt together; set aside. In a separate bowl, stir together the yogurt, pumpkin, vinegar, and vanilla extract, set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, and using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Alternately beat in the flour and pumpkin mixtures in thirds (for example, beat in 1/3 flour mixture followed by 1/3 pumpkin mixture and repeat until everything is combined). Fold in the mini chocolate chips.
4. Working quickly, spoon batter into cupcake cups, filling each about 3/4 full. Place cupcake pans in the center of the preheated 350 degree oven and bake approximately 25 minutes. Cupcakes are done when they spring back when lightly touched or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool pans on wire racks for 10 minutes then remove cupcakes from pans and let cool completely on the wire racks.
5. While cupcakes are cooling, prepare cream cheese frosting (recipe follows). When cupcakes are completely cool, spread with frosting.


Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 C. unsalted butter, softened
2 C. powdered sugar
1/4. t. vanilla extract
1/8 t. ground cinnamon
1/8 t. fresh ground nutmeg
In a medium bowl, beat together cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. If frosting is too soft, chill in fridge for 15-20 minutes.