Mini Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

These little buggers are good.  Like really good.  The fantastic thing: the cake part is low fat, the other fantastic thing: cream cheese frosting is involved…not so low fat.  Although I did use 1/3 the fat cream cheese.  

These muffins are moist and dense thanks to one of my favorite things: Greek yogurt.  More specifically, Chobani pineapple Greek yogurt.  Betcha wouldn't have guessed that huh?  

So make these with or without the frosting I promise you will be a fan.  

Start with a good o' can of pumpkin.

Next, break out the Chobani…ugh, have you had this pineapple version?  Life changing.  LIFE changing I tell you.

Add that to the pumpkin.

Separate four eggs

And only use the whites.  See, low fat baby.

Add vanilla

And sugar.

Stir until everything is well incorporated.

Next the dry ingredients.  Baking soda

Baking powder

Flour

Salt

And pumpkin pie spice

Stir that until everything is well combined again.

This is an optional step…line the cupcake pan with cupcake liners.  Although these are super cute, they were a disaster to get the actual cupcakes out of the first day.  Miraculously, the second day they peeled right off.  So, if you are planning to serve these the day of, just spray the pan with baking spray.

Using a teaspoon, spoon the batter into the liners/tin.  Okay, you know I love my muffin and cookie scoops, they NEED to make a mini muffin scoop.  Seriously, first one to make this, I will love you forever. I know, worth it right?

Bake these for about 15 minutes or just until they spring back up when you press in the middle.  Let them cool on a wire rack. 

Meanwhile, you can work on the frosting.  You will need a block of cream cheese, preferably at room temperature.

Add powdered sugar

Vanilla

And a splash (or about a tablespoon) of half and half or milk

Using a hand mixer, mix it up

Ah yeah, let's just talk about this situation.  That's Rem, the "I'm going to eat an entire mini cupcake wrapper and all" kitchen mascot.  Shame on you, there wasn't even any frosting on it.   : )

Using a pastry bag or just a little zip top bag with the corner cut off, frost the cupcakes whichever way you choose.

That's it.  So easy, mostly low fat and seriously, how cute are they?

Mini Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

For the muffins:1 15 oz can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
2/3 cup Chobani Pineapple yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 egg whites
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, yogurt, vanilla extract, egg whites and sugar.  Stir until fully combined.  Add the baking soda, baking powder, flour, pumpkin pie spice and salt.  Stir until combined again.

Either line the mini muffin tin with liners or baking spray.  Using a teaspoon, spoon the batter into the muffin liners/tin.  Place in oven and bake for about 15 minutes or until you press down in the middle of the muffin and it springs back to the touch.  Remove the muffins out of the muffin tin and let cool on a wire rack.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 8 oz block of cream cheese (I used 1/3 the fat)
3 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
A splash (or about 1 tablespoon) half and half or milk

In a medium bowl, add the cream cheese, powdered sugar, teaspoon and half and half/milk.  Using a hand mixer, mix things until they are fully combined and kind of fluffy.  If you would like the frosting a bit thinner, add more milk.

Using a pastry bag and tip or a zip top bag with the corner cut off, frost the cupcakes as you wish.

Enjoy!


Pumpkin batter recipe found at SheKnows.Com
Frosting by: Mrs. Schwartz