Pumpkin Cupcakes (L + S Cupcake Club!)

I *should* be going to bed so I won't be tired tomorrow... which of course means it's a perfect time to post about the pumpkin cupcakes I made this past weekend, following Lola's announcement on her blog about the L + S Cupcake Club - two choices this month! The pumpkin kind sounded fantastic the moment I read about it, so it wasn't a very hard decision! I blatantly copied her and made brown sugar cream cheese frosting as well. Unlike the slightly special marble cupcakes I made last month, I am happy to say the pumpkin cupcakes were a solid winner for me!

Soooo let's get to the good stuff, the pictures!

The ingredient round-up. Oh how I love channeling Pioneer Woman!

[Incidentally, Lola posted about clarifying the butter and heating it on the stove... my online version of the recipe said no such thing as I recall, so I just microwaved the butter. As far as I can tell it all turned out ok!]

 Dry ingredients. Love those colorful spices! (Nutmeg, cinnamon, ground ginger, allspice.)

 I think this is (melted) butter and sugar... 

 Mixing dry ingredients with wet. And yes I was watching TV. My husband went to bed at 7:30 (work tires him out) so I had a little Friday night baking session!

 Yes.... the pumpkin enters the picture. 

 Irresistable. 

 Pre-baking. The instructions said to fill each cup halfway, and also it said it made 18. I could have made more than 18, but my tins hold 18, and 18 it was. Some were just big...

 The frosting was so easy! Brown sugar, butter, cream cheese. Mix, the end: 

 YUM!

Fresh out of the oven! 

Frosted. And yes, I may have eaten one at that point. Next time I will do better at hiding the evidence. ;-)

Sorry if my captions/writing seems a bit odd tonight - I think it's definitely my bedtime!