Pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheese frosting and the blog turns 1!

Wow... it happened... this blog turned a year old! Happy bloggiversary to me! It's amazing to see how much this blog has changed my life and how much my life has changed in a year. 

A year ago I was in Boston, now I'm in Portland. I was working at a company, praying to get admitted in a PhD program. Today, I'm a PhD student, with a lab, a project and a fantastic boss. (For real, no ass kissing). I've made tons of new friends, I've said see you later to the old ones, I've cried, laughed and got my heart broken.

 

This is my 94th post. Crazy huh? 94 recipes shared with all of you. 94 recipes that have allowed me to share my sorrows, my happiness, my struggles in the kitchen and outside of it. And most importantly, to meet amazing people in the blogging world. Like Maria, who's become one of my closest friends, even if she's all the way back in Spain.  

There's also all those blogs that inspire me, because of their recipes, their photos and the people who write them. Megan, Steph , Ellie, Carmen, 'the reds' and Mercè are great examples.

The pictures have also gotten better, even if they could still improve a lot! I have to thank Foodgawker and Tastespotting for accepting my pictures and for making me really mad when they didn't. Because that made me put even more effort into taking 'good enough' food porn. I can't forget 'Baking is Hot' either. Specially Patty for being such a nice gal and always willing to post my recipes.

And last but not at all least. I have to say thank you to all my testers. To all the friends, roommates, labmates and coworkers who've eaten everything that's been baked in my kitchen. Thanks for your smiles, for your hunger, for your complaints about gaining weight and for your praise over this blog. I wouldn't bake if I didn't have amazing eaters around me.

 

And now for the recipe!

Pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheese frosting

2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. ground cinnamon (or as much as you like)
¼ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1 tsp. salt
1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin puree
1 cup sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs

For the frosting:

1 package (8 oz) cream cheese

1 tablespoon maple syrup

1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar (or more depending on how sweet you want it)

Preheat your oven to 350 F

In a bowl, mix the oil, brown sugar and pumpkin. Add the eggs one at a time and mix until incorporated. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking powder and baking soda and the spices. Add the dry mix to the wet mix in increments. Do not overmix or your cupcakes will be heavy.

Pour the batter into lined muffin tins. They should be about 3/4 full. I used mini muffin liners to have 'bite size' cupcakes but you can use whatever size you'd like. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Make sure to check them at the 15 min mark. 

For the frosting. Beat together the cream cheese, sugar and maple syrup until the consistency is right. If the frosting is too runny add more sugar. It should be 'hard' enough that you can frost the cupcakes with a spatula or pipe them with a bag. 

Once the cupcakes are baked, let them cool and then frost. While they are cooling, make sure to keep your frosting cold or it will become too soft. 

And because it's my blogiversary, I'm gonna allow myself the license of posting a picture of me. Frosting a cupcake. Because it's ok to do so once a year! (and yes, it was cold and I was wearing a hat inside the house...)