5-Ingredient Pumpkin Cupcakes

There are times when pumpkin cupcakes from scratch are in order, but there are other times measuring flour, sugar and spices holds little appeal. This is a recipe my friend Courtney shared with me three years ago, and it changed my life. Every time I take these cupcakes somewhere, I'm asked for the recipe and/or the leftovers. Today I went to my grandmother's house to bake with her, and this recipe was perfect. Grandmother was excited to find another treat she can share with people this fall.

5-Ingredient Pumpkin Cupcakes

chefjennylyn.com

- 1 box spice cake mix

- 1 can pumpkin (16 oz.)

- 3 large eggs

- 1/3 cup oil

- 1/3 cup water

- Cream cheese icing

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix everything (not the icing, of course) in a large bowl, and scoop into muffin liners.

Bake 18-22 minutes for standard size / Bake 12-15 minutes for 2-bite size

Yield 24 standard cupcakes

If you can take your eyes off my adorable grandmother, take a look at the Muffin Pan. This is no typical metal pan you'll find in stores. No, it's heavy duty for even heat distribution and perfect results. I prefer the Stoneware Muffin Pan, but this is nice and lightweight for Grandmother.

Check out the Smooth-Edge Can Opener! The lid is off the can, the edges are smooth, and there's no mess. Eggs and a Classic Scraper are hanging out in a Stainless Mixing Bowl.

The Easy Read Measuring Cups are one of Grandmother's favorite products because she can leave them on the counter while she pours ingredients, and she can read them easily thanks to the slanted measurements.

Grandmother is 83 years old (she doesn't mind me telling you), but she still loves to learn new shortcuts in the kitchen. She was thrilled with the Large Scoop for filling liners. This works for consistent cupcake sizes, but it's also great for preventing drips. Plus, in the words of Grandmother, "It's just fun to use!"

Then Grandmother and I used 2-bite size liners on a Cookie Sheet, and we (she) filled them using the Medium Scoop. We got 15 standard cupcakes and 24 2-bite cupcakes from this recipe!

I iced cupcakes while Grandmother added the recipe to her collection. The Stackable Cooling Rack I'm using is another of Grandmother's favorite items. She uses it every time she cooks, which I think is daily.

After finishing and cleaning, Grandmother and I sat down to enjoy our work. I wish I could tell you I ate my cupcake with a fork like a true lady, but that would be a lie. Do I get points for taking multiple bites instead of shoving the whole thing in my mouth?

Make these cupcakes when you have time because they're fabulous. If you don't have time, make it, and then make these cupcakes. There will be no regrets.

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E-mail me: chefjennylyn[at]gmail.com

Call me up: (205) 585-2464

Pumpkin Cheesecake

You're probably noticing something about this picture: This cheesecake says pumpkin, but its color isn't orange. Your observation is correct, so go ahead and pat yourself on the back. Of all the pumpkin cheesecakes I've had, this is hands down my favorite. Why? Because it's cheesecake with pumpkin in it instead of what seems to be pumpkin pie with a bit of cheese to change the name. It's just personal preference, but I enjoy cheesecake with other flavors added, not the other way around. This recipe is perfect - a blend of cheesecake, fall spices, and a hit of pumpkin. Its flavor is solid and its texture creamy. My friends who got to enjoy it with me confirmed that this is indeed a keeper, so I know I'll smell it baking in my kitchen again this fall.

(On glass base from Springform Pan)

Pumpkin Cheesecake

chefjennylyn.com

2 cups graham cracker crumbs

2 tsp ginger

6 Tbsp butter, melted

2 pounds cream cheese

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp cardamom

4 large eggs

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup pumpkin purée

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Crush 2 cups worth of graham crackers into a medium bowl. Stir in the ginger, and then stir in the melted butter so that the mixture becomes moist.

Press the crust into the bottom and slightly up the sides of a 9″ springform pan. Stick the pan in the freezer while you make the cheesecake batter so that the butter will firm up the crust.

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the sugars and spices. Add in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the sour cream and pumpkin.

Pour the batter into the graham cracker crust and smooth out on the top.

Bake 15 minutes, and then open the oven door and lower the temperature to 200 degrees. Close the door and continue baking for about an hour longer or until the edges of the cheesecake set but the center still wiggles when the pan is shaken. Cool the cheesecake on a rack and then refrigerate at least 3 hours before serving. Serve drizzled with warm caramel sauce.

(Recipe originally from Sugarcrafter)

Graham crackers don't stand a chance against the Manual Food Processor. This tool makes the chopping quick and simple with little mess. Just stick the base and blade in the dishwasher when you're finished, and give the top a little wipe.

Real butter + graham cracker crumbs + ginger = fabulous crust. This is coming together in a Stainless Mixing Bowl, and I'm using the Small Batter Bowl to pour the butter. As always, I let this sit in the oven while it preheated, and my butter and I were ready for this step at the same time. That's the Stainless Whisk in the bowl and the Large Cutting Board underneath.

Crust is in the Springform Pan, and everything else is on the Cutting Board. My spice blend (hello, cardamom!) is in a Pinch Bowl, and brown sugar is in a 1-Cup Prep Bowl with a Measuring Spoon. The Measure-All Cup has the sour cream and the pumpkin.

Hello, Sexy Sunbeam MixMaster! This thing still works as well as it did when my grandmother got it in 1954. Anyone for whipping potatoes? Level six.

Cheesecake has a reputation for being difficult, and it's legitimate. If your ingredients aren't ready, you're not going to get good results. Here's a tip: Have room temperature eggs. It's a given that your cream cheese needs to be softened, but the eggs will blend better if they're not straight from the fridge. When the recipe says blend them one at a time, take the extra minute to make this happen. Crack eggs one at a time in a 1-Cup Prep Bowl to make sure there's no blood and no shell. This batter is your entire recipe, and it's worth making it correctly. No shortcuts? Deal.

The Springform Pan is ready to go in the oven. What is just a big glob of cream cheese, pumpkin, and a few other things is about to become one of the best fall desserts known to man. This Springform Pan is obviously wonderful for cheesecake, but it can be used for other things as well. How about deep dish pizza or a 1-layer cake? Snap the collar off, and you've got a beautiful presentation on the glass base. So versatile!

Big thanks to Tracy at Sugarcrafter for this great recipe! This and these Nutella Cupcakes are her creations, and I look forward to trying many more. I love people who can create wonderful baked goods, but I love them even more when they're willing to share the recipes.

Make cheesecake, not war.

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Shop Online 24/7 at pamperedchef.biz/jennylyn

E-mail me: chefjennylyn[at]gmail.com

Call me up: (205) 585-2464

Pumpkin Scones with Maple Glaze

Drooling? Me, too. I used to hate scones, but that's because I'd only been exposed to a few with the texture of a dog biscuit. As I've expanded my horizons, I've come to realize scones are amazing when baked correctly, and there are all kinds of crazy things you can do with them. Things like stuffing them full of Oreos. If you have half a cup of pumpkin on hand, these scones will be a good decision. If you don't have half a cup of pumpkin, going to the store and getting it will be a good decision. Seriously, do it.

(Displayed on pedestal from Trifle Bowl)

Pumpkin Scones with Maple Glaze

chefjennylyn.com

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

scant 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

6 tablespoons cold butter

1/2 cup canned pumpkin

3 tablespoons buttermilk, plus a few extra teaspoons if the dough is too dry

1 large egg

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees.

Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and spices in a large bowl. Using a pastry knife, fork, food processor or your hands, cut butter into the dry ingredients until mixture is crumbly and no chunks of butter are obvious. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, buttermilk, and egg.

Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.

Form the dough into a ball. Cut in half. Pat out each dough ball onto a lightly floured surface and form them into 1-inch thick circles. Use a large knife or a pizza cutter to slice the dough into eighths. Place on prepared baking sheet.

Bake for 14 or 15 minutes. Scones should begin to turn light brown. Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheet. Makes 16 scones. (Jenny-Lyn's note: I made mine huge and only got 8.)

Maple Icing

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup white sugar

1/4 cup heavy cream

2/3 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon maple flavor

In a large saucepan melt the butter, brown sugar, white sugar and heavy cream. Bring to a low boil, turn off heat and let sit for 20 minutes. Whisk and add in 2/3 cup powdered sugar and the vanilla. Whisk until smooth. Frost scones.

Let's start with the Smooth-Edge Can Opener. So many of my customers have purchased one for themselves and come back for more after using it. If only I had a dollar for every time I've heard, "I've got to get one of those for my daughter-in-law!" But seriously, this is the best can opener in the world. Smooth can edges, crust-free opener... win.

Look familiar? Yes, pretty much every baking experience begins the same way for me, but this is the reason I still enjoy it. I'm quick and efficient because I don't stop in the middle of a recipe to find a random ingredient. Nope, I get it all out at the beginning and then just add things as the recipe directs. It's a great method, and I highly recommend it. Here's what I'm using: Pinch Bowls, Measuring Spoon Set, Adjustable Measuring Spoons, Measuring Cup Set, Easy Read Mini Measuring Cup, Measure-All Cup, Stainless Mixing Bowls, Korintje Cinnamon, Large Cutting Board. I love kitchen tools.

The Pastry Blender is a must-have for cutting butter. Before I had this, I shyed away from anything that involved this step because it was so annoying with a fork. Butter = happiness.

Since I was making pumpkin scones, I decided to get crazy and cut them out with my new pumpkin cutters, a Pampered Chef Outlet find. The set comes with a pumpkin, a ghost, and a bat, and it's only available until the 31st. Less than two dollars! Unfortunately, I made my scones super thick and lost the pumpkin stems in baking. These are on the Rectangle Stone from the Stoneware Collection, and that's what I credit with their perfect baking. The bottoms were beautifully golden to match the tops, and the insides were moist. Put simply, perfection happened in my kitchen.

I'll be repeating these on a regular basis. This recipe is a home run with no room for improvement. The pumpkin flavor is clear without being overwhelming, and the maple glaze compliments it perfectly. If you find yourself searching pumpkin scone recipes online, stop now. The internet has led you to a good place.

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Call me up: (205) 585-2464

Brown Butter Pumpkin Cupcakes

Dear Fall,
Welcome to my life. You've been missed the last several months as I've suffered Alabama's heat and humidity. Please get legit quickly, and feel free to stay a while.
Hearts,

Jenny-Lyn

These are my favorite pumpkin cupcakes, and I think they'll be yours if you try them. Two key players: brown butter and cinnamon cream cheese icing. I discovered this recipe at Baked Perfection last fall, and it's served me well since then. When my friend Rachel and I planned a dinner for the singles group at our church this week, we figured pumpkin dessert would be a great finishing touch. We were right because there were only three of the seventy-five cupcakes left at the end of the night. Granted, these were two-bite size, but that's still some serious cupcake consumption! Several people at the dinner requested the recipe, so this post is for them... and for you. Because I like you.

Brown Butter Pumpkin Cupcakes

chefjennylyn.com

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground gloves

1 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pie filling)

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Line muffin tins with paper liners. In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat and continue to cook, swirling occasionally, until butter turns golden brown, Skim foam from top, and remove from heat. Pour into a bowl to stop the cooking, leaving any burned sediment behind; let cool.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. In another bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, both sugars, eggs, and brown-butter mixture. Add the flour mixture, and whisk until just combined.

Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 18-20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes. (For two-bite size, bake 13-15 minutes.)

Yield: 15 standard cupcakes

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

3 cups powdered sugar, sifted

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Beat butter and cream cheese with a mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low. Add sugar, 1 cup at a time, and then cinnamon and vanilla; mix until smooth.

The flour mixture contains my favorite spices of the season, so it's an automatic win. Everything is measured using the Measuring Spoon Set and the Measuring Cup Set, and I've got a Pinch Bowl and the Cutting Board each doing its thing.

Brown butter is just butter that's cooked until it turns brown and smells nutty. The rich smell will send you into a state of bliss, but there's nothing like the flavor hit inside the cupcakes. Anyway, Rachel is using the 8-Qt. Casserole from the Executive Cookware Collection and the Mix 'n Scraper. What a pro!

Every time I mix a batter, I'm shocked by how disgusting it looks. That's why I included this picture - I want to shock you. One nice thing about this recipe, however, is that it doesn't require a mixer, just a Stainless Whisk, a Stainless Mixing Bowl, and a little T.L.C.

The cupcakes are divided into liners with the Medium Scoop, and they're going to bake up beautifully on a Cookie Sheet. From here, the kitchen will begin to smell amazing, and Rachel and I will have to offer one another accountability to keep from eating all the cupcakes before the evening's feast. That's what friends are for, after all.

Fall vegetables and half an old banana set the mood for baking. These guys are cooling to perfection on a Cooling Rack, but I have to admit one of them didn't make it to see the icing. No, he was eaten by two girls who just couldn't take the temptation any longer. That's all I'll say about that.

Rachel and I worked like fiends on our Sunday meal. It was a huge undertaking, but we said early on that when everything was finished and the kitchen was cleaned we would get one cupcake each. Five hours later, after what I can only describe as organized chaos, we loaded the car, got ready to transport the food, and sat down to enjoy our reward. I don't think I've ever savored anything like each of the four bites I squeezed out of my dessert, and I'm assuming the same for Rachel. At least, that's the impression I got when I glanced over to see her closed eyes and content face. The aching feet and tired backs stopped for a couple of minutes, and all was right with the world.

Like the products you saw used?

Shop Online 24/7 at pamperedchef.biz/jennylyn

E-mail me: chefjennylyn[at]gmail.com

Call me up: (205) 585-2464