The Perfect Thanksgiving and Tailgating Cupcake

Originally published by Gameday.Style in football season 2011. 

External links and products featured may not still be available. 

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with Butterscotch Buttercream just screams 

Fall, Thanksgiving and Football.  

Gameday Style found this recipe at a new spot, The Perfect Bite KC, a blog about the food scene in Kansas City.  Blogger Missy Roe shares her culinary experiences in Kansas City from a perspective of someone who has fine-tuned her tastes from her meat and potatoes rural America background, to one that is well-traveled and well-flavored.  

You'll find restaurant and food shop reviews and she shares recipes from KC eateries, like 3 Women and an Oven, a boutique bakery.   Now, the recipe you've been waiting for...
 (although I highly recommend saving yourself the effort and picking up the real deal if you're in the Kansas City area):

photo courtesy of the Kansas City Star

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with Butterscotch Buttercream
3 Women and an Oven via the KC STAR

Makes 12-16 standard cupcakes

For Cupcakes:

• 1 1/2cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup granulated white sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup solid packed canned pumpkin
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Place rack in middle of oven. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners. In large bowl sift together flour, baking soda, ground spices and salt. With electric or hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla extract. Scrape down sides of bowl.

With mixer on low, alternately add flour mixture and canned pumpkin in three additions beginning and ending with flour mixture. Fold in chocolate chips. Fill cupcake papers 3/4 full with batter, using two spoons or ice cream scoop. Place in oven and bake for about 18 to 20 minutes, or until firm to touch and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Place on wire rack to cool.

Buttercream Icing:

• 12 tablespoons butter, room temperature
• 7 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup milk (may add more for desired consistency)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon butterscotch extract or rum extract
• Orange and yellow food coloring

Cream butter; gradually add about half the sugar, blending well.  Beat in half of the milk with flavorings.  Gradually blend in remaining sugar.  Add milk if necessary to make desired consistency for piping. Divide buttercream into 3 bowls.  Mix orange food coloring into first bowl and yellow food coloring into second bowl, leaving one portion white.

Using piping bags fitted with medium round tips, top each cupcake with orange icing in a circular motion, filling the top with a single layer.  Top the orange with a layer of yellow icing in the same motion making a smaller circular layer. Top the yellow layer with the final layer of white icing to simulate a candy corn.  Top each cupcake with a piece of candy corn for garnish.