Pumpkin cupcake (Vegetarian)

Sometime ago, I made some pumpkin puree at home and stocked them up in freezer. Then one day I baked some cupcakes out of it and it was totally yummy. 

I got the recipe from this website. Thanks to the author I could bake some scrupmtious pumpkin cupcakes. That recipe is purely vegan, but I have used milk products in my recipe. This recipe can yield 12 standard cupcakes. I made my own 'homemade pumkpin puree' with the pumpkins I got. Pureeing the pumpkin is very simple. Just cut the pumpkin into half, bake it at 350 deg F for 40 min or till soft. Scoop out the baked pumpkin, let cool, puree in mixer, store in freezer. Stays good upto 3 months. I meaured the puree and noted down in every sachet for further use. (Substitute for store bought pumpkin puree - Fresh pumpkin can be boiled / pressure cooked completely and pureed).

The icing is optional. I used some of my cream cheese frosting at hand and it tasted absolutely delicious.

Ingredients:
All purpose flour - 1 1/4 cup
pumpkin puree - 1/2 cup
Milk - 1/4 cup
vinegar / lemon juice - 1 tsp
baking powder - 1 tsp
baking soda - 1/2 tsp
brown sugar - 1/3 cup
white sugar - 1/3 cup
cinnamon powder - 1 tsp
ginger powder - 1/2 tsp
nutmeg powder - 1/2 tsp
salt - 1/2 tsp
corn / olive oil / butter - 1/2 cup
vanilla essence - 1 tsp

Method:
Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Arrange the cupcake paper liners in the bake-ware. Keep aside.

Mix together milk and vinegar and let it rest for 5 minutes. (we can use plain yogurt instead of this step).

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda. Sift this twice to get a spongy cake.
Put this flour in a mixing bowl and add cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.
In a mixer or another mixing bowl thoroughly mix together sugar, pumpkin puree, oil, vanilla and milk mixture.
Pour this to the sifter flour mix well using a fork / beater.
Pour this into cupcake liners upto 3/4 th height and bake for 16 - 20 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes clean.
Take out, cool completely before frosting. Tastes good with / without frosting.


Serving suggestion:
Makes a dessert or breakfast.