Filled Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes!

Just in time for Halloween! These are essentially the same pumpkin spice cupcakes I made last year, but pimped out a bit.

I used my Debbie Meyer Cupcake Genius pan that I got for Christmas last year from David's mom Mary to bake these. The pan has this neato contraption that fits over the top and makes your cupcakes bake with a well in them for filling.

I was kind of skeptical of how well it would work, but the cupcakes came out great! The wells in them are the perfect size for getting enough filling in so you can actually taste it. MUCH easier than the cone method, and you get more filling than with an injection piping tip.

I mixed the batter the same as last year's cupcakes, with the addition of about 2 tablespoons of pumpkin butter mixed in. I filled them with pumpkin pie filling, though it wasn't my original choice. I had made up a box of Jell-O pumpkin spice pudding (made with the pie filling instructions) the night before, but when I tasted it this morning the milk in the pudding had spoiled. Since it was about 4:30 in the morning, I was kind of limited as to what else I could use for filling. I headed to Walmart, grabbed a can of Libby's, and that was that.

I frosted the cupcakes with the same frosting as last year as well, but instead of cinnamon I used pumpkin pie spice in it. Super scrumptious. Then, I topped them with the marzipan pumpkins just like last year, but I sprinkled bat and pumpkin confetti on top as well! I also dusted the tops of the pumpkins with gold luster dust. I got the liners from Walmart, since for some reason I didn't once go into Michael's this Halloween season to check out Martha's liners.

Easy Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

• 1 package spice cake mix
• 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp butter flavoring 
• 2 tbsp pumpkin butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl for 2 minutes. Contents will be very thick. Line muffin tin with paper cups. Fill 2/3 full with batter. Bake 22 to 24 minutes (I only baked for 12 minutes since I always take cupcakes out when I can smell them). Makes a little more than one dozen. TIP: If you have extra batter but not enough to fill all the cups of the muffin tin, fill the remaining empty cups halfway with water. It helps the cupcakes to bake more evenly.

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Beat the cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer in a bowl until smooth. Beat in the powdered sugar a little at a time until incorporated. Add the vanilla extract and pumpkin pie spice; beat until fluffy.