Pumpkin Pie Spice

Pumpkin pie season is quickly arriving. I always bake pumpkin pie for the Thanksgiving holiday. Make your own pumpkin pie spice for pies and other desserts. This spice adds warm delicious flavor to pumpkin bread, cakes, cupcakes, quick breads, frostings, pancakes, waffles, cookies, ciders, and oatmeal.

If you'd like to mix up some pumpkin pie spice, measure the following spices into a small jar and shake well to blend. Store in air-tight jar away from heat and light. Yields about 1/4 cup.

Pumpkin Pie Spice

3 tablespoons Watkins Ground Cinnamon
2 teaspoons Watkins Ground Ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons Watkins Ground Allspice
1 1/2 teaspoons Watkins Ground Cloves
3/4 teaspoon Watkins Ground Nutmeg

If you prefer, adjust the amount of each spice to your personal taste.

This is a simple and quick recipe for Pumpkin Cupcakes using pumpkin pie spice.

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
1 18.5-ounce box yellow cake mix (plus the ingredients called for in the package directions)
1/2  teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree
2  8-ounce bars cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon Watkins Maple Extract
24  pieces candy corn

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with paper liners. Prepare the cake mix as directed but with the following change: Add the pumpkin pie spice and substitute the can of pumpkin puree for the water called for in the package directions.
2. Divide the batter among the prepared muffin tins and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 18 to 22 minutes. Let cool.
3. Meanwhile, using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, butter, sugar, and maple extract until creamy. Spread on the cupcakes and top each with a piece of candy corn.

Note: Candy corn color will bleed into frosting so if using canding corn as a topping decoration, add just before serving.

Order spices at http://www.watkinsonline.com/eleisiawhitney or http://www.NotJustVanilla.com