WFD?: Spiced Pumpkin "Muffin Cakes" with Cream Cheese Butter Cream and Salted Caramel

Yes, it's a "muffin cake".

"Muffin cake": A term made up by me, just now, that describes a cupcake that is mixed like a muffin.  Which would technically make it more of a muffin, but it's very cake like in texture....and there's frosting so ya know...

Makes sense to me.

Lot's of parts to this "muffin cake", which should prove to be a rather long recipe packed post.  :)
So let's get right to it shall we??
Yes...yes we shall....
Ok then...



Spiced Pumpkin "Muffin Cakes"

2 1/2 cups cake flour (all purpose will work too)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
3/4 cup sour cream
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350.  Place cupcake liners (about 18) into a standard muffin pan.

Sift all the dry ingredients (flour through salt) together in a large mixing bowl.  I just dump it all in and stir it with a whisk.  Works for me.  Make a well in the middle, set aside.

Mix all the wet ingredients (pumpkin through eggs) together and beat with a whisk till well blended.

Add the wet to the dry and gently stir till all patches of dry ingredients are mixed in.

Place a rather large spoonful into each cupcake liner.  Should make about 18 cakes.  Bake for 20-25 minutes.  Let cool completely before frosting.

See, mixed like a muffin.  Pros: you can mix it my hand.  No need to dirty up your mixer.  And, it's soft and moist yet durable enough to be worthy of the awesomeness that is the cream cheese butter cream.

Cream Cheese Butter Cream

2 sticks salted butter, softened
8 oz block of cream cheese, straight from the fridge
2 lb powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
heavy cream to thin

Beat butter.  Then beat in cream cheese just till blended.  Add vanilla.  Add powdered sugar.  Beat.  Add cream to thin to desired cupcake piping consistency.

Yeah, it's a pretty standard straight forward kind of recipe.  Just like it should be.

And don't forget the caramel!!  This MAKES IT!

Salted Caramel Sauce

1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 tsp sea salt

Combine sugar and water in a large saucepan.  Use one larger than what you would think would hold it all.  Trust me.  Let the sugar dissolve on medium heat.  Then heat the sugar on med high till it takes on a deep caramel color.  Make sure not to let it burn and try not to stir it.  Stirring makes sugar crystals....yuk.

Once it reaches the caramel color, remove it from the heat and pour in the cream.  It will foam and bubble and try to escape.  Hence the large saucepan.  Stir.  Once it "simmers down now" place it back on the heat, add the salt, and cook it on medium till it thickens.  Remove from heat and let cool.  Then it should be ready to use.  I use it at room temp, tho it does store nicely in the fridge, so don't worry if your thinking, this is way more than I need.

It's just a good excuse to eat ice cream....

I'm not going to exaggerate....the caramel is what really pulls all these flavors together.  It tastes like fall.  Like your taking a big bite of fall.  And keeping it to yourself.   Greedily......

Wait, what are we talking about....

Oh yeah, desserts....just desserts....



Anyway....

One thing I will say about the "muffin cake" is that they are best the first day.  I refrigerated a few of them for like 3 days and they didn't retain that soft fluffiness very well.  So my advice it to make these for company, or a party or something.  Best fresh, but oh so so so so so so so so so so so so good.

Happy fall!!  I'm SO GLAD it's FINALLY here!!!