Delish Fall Cupcakes!

So although fall is definitely not in the air here in San Diego (currently 98 degrees!), I still feel fall is in my heart.  Meaning, fall decor and fall food!  You can't scare me heat wave.  I'll still turn my oven on in the midst of this hundred degree weather. There's just something about having the oven on and the smell of whatever you're baking filling the home.  Oh, and of course having delicious yummy stuff to eat afterwards is always a plus. 

So one recipe that I ran across this year that is absolutely DELISH is a pumpkin cupcake with maple frosting recipe.  OOOH, they are soooo good!  I've already made them three times and will be making them several more times before the end of the month.  As much as I'd like to hold this recipe under lock and key as if it were my very own that I just whipped up in the kitchen right off of the top of my head, the truth is, I didn't.  It's not mine, and can easily be found on the internet.  Therefore, in the art of giving, I will share it with all of you!  Hoping that you will enjoy them just as much as we do here in our house.  Maddyx just about devoured my hand along with the cupcake when I was trying to *share* mine with him. And then had a meltdown when I told him "All done" - yea, that didn't go over well.  AT. ALL.

So here it is.  And if you make them, please let me know if you loved them!

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Maple Frosting
Makes 10 cupcakes

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature

1 cup canned pumpkin purée (8 ounces), not pie filling

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

1/2 cup vegetable oil

Maple Frosting (recipe follows)

1/2 cup coarsely chopped Heath bars, for serving (2 1.4-ounce bars)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Brush or spray the top of 10 muffin tins with vegetable oil and line them with 10 paper liners.

2. Into a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. In a larger bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin purée, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vegetable oil. Add the flour mixture and stir until combined.

3. Divide the batter among the prepared tins (I use a level 2 1/4-inch ice cream scoop) and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Set aside to cool completely.

4. Spread the cupcakes with the Maple Frosting and sprinkle with the chopped toffee bits (DO NOT SKIP THE TOFFEE BITS!  THEY ARE A MUST.).
Maple Frosting

6 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/4 teaspoon Boyajian Natural Maple Flavor

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the cream cheese and butter on low speed until smooth. Stir in the maple flavoring and vanilla extract. With the mixer still on low, slowly add the confectioners' sugar and mix until smooth.