Batty Pumpkin Cupcakes

Cut back on sugar by dressing up a whole-wheat pumpkin muffin as a cupcake. Top with maple buttercream frosting, dust with dark cocoa powder, and then decorate with handmade paper wings to turn them into bats. Or make ‘em mini, because two-bite baby bats are fun too!

Batty Pumpkin Cupcakes

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Makes 12 large or 24 mini cupcakes

Ingredients for the Pumpkin Cupcakes:

2 large eggs, beaten
½ cup light brown sugar
1 cup pumpkin puree
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup nonfat plain yogurt
1½ cups whole wheat all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon kosher salt

Ingredients for the Maple Buttercream Frosting:

3 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 pound confectioner’s sugar
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Dark cocoa powder for dusting

Supplies for Decorating the Bats:

Colored construction paper
Non-toxic colored markers
Toothpicks
Washi tape
Candy eyes or dark chocolate chips

Directions for Pumpkin Cupcakes:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a muffin tin with oil or fill with cupcake liners.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the eggs and the brown sugar. Beat on high speed for 2 to 3 minutes or until fluffy. Add the pumpkin puree, oil, and yogurt. Mix on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the mixture is fully combined.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, ginger, and salt.

4. Working in small batches, add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture. Stir gently to combine.

5. Pour the batter into the muffin tin, filling each cup about ¾ full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and spring back when lightly touched. A toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcake should come out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.

Directions for Maple Buttercream Frosting:

6. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter on high speed for 2 minutes or until fluffy.

7. Reduce speed to low. Working in small batches, add the sugar until thoroughly combined. Stir in the vanilla and maple syrup. Turn the speed up to medium and beat until the icing is smooth and consistent.

8. Once the cupcakes are completely cooled, generously spread icing on each cupcake and finish with a dusting of cocoa powder.

Directions for Decorating the Bats:

8. Using the construction paper, draw triangles with a length of 1.5” on each side. On one edge of each triangle, draw two small arches to create the bottom of your wings.

9. Cut out the wings. Using a non-toxic marker, let your kids decorate the wings.

10. Attach a toothpick to the back of each wing and secure with washi tape.

11. Insert two wings into each cupcake. Add dark chocolate chips or candies to create eyes.

Reprinted from THE 52 NEW FOODS CHALLENGE: A Family Cooking Adventure for Each Week of the Year, with 150 recipes. Reprinted by arrangement with Avery, an imprint of Penguin Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. Copyright © 2014 by Jennifer Tyler Lee.