Pumpkin White Chocolate Chip Mini Cupcakes

Fine, I will admit it...I'm slightly obsessed with cupcakes.  I can't help myself, they are the perfect little size, quick to bake, so much fun to decorate and they are just cute!  So I find them to be my go-to dessert.  There are so many flavor options and I love how cupcakes make everyone smile!

I also don't make desserts at home (normally) out of fear that I might eat more than just one or two ;) so when I sign up to bring something to a bible study or party I almost always choose dessert!  This week I had a luncheon at bible study, so keeping with the Fall/Thanksgiving theme....pumpkin cupcakes!!  And, just to make them even more cute, I made minis!!

Ingredients:
1 2/3 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg (freshly ground if possible)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup mini white chocolate chips
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 cup pumpkin puree (I used canned, but fresh would also work)
1/3 cup water
2 eggs

For the frosting:
1 8oz package cream cheese, room temp
1 stick butter, room temp
2 tsp vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar

Start by mixing flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon and white chocolate chips.  In a separate bowl combine wet ingredients: vanilla, melted butter, pumpkin, water and eggs.  Slowly add the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until combined (don't over mix!)  The batter is thick.  Now drop into lined cupcake pans.  I made mini cupcakes, so about a teaspoon of batter per cup was perfect.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 14 minutes for mini cupcakes (if you make regular size cupcakes probably about 22 minutes).  Check them by inserting toothpick, it should come out clean.  Allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.  If you make them the night before and aren't frosting until the morning it is important to cover them or they might dry out.  Just line them up on cookie sheet and cover with plastic wrap.

For the frosting.  Beat butter and cream cheese until combined and smooth.  Then add in vanilla.  Continue mixing adding in 1 cup of powdered sugar at a time until it is all mixed in.  You can add milk (or water) to thin out frosting if you desire. 

I decorated my cupcakes by putting my frosting in a pastry bag with a large star tip (Wilton 1M) and I pipped a large star on each cupcake.  It took me about 3 minutes to frost all 50 mini cupcakes!  Enjoy!