Fall is here! And so Are Pumpkin Spice Latte...Cupcakes!

So I KNOW I always post about cupcakes...so brace yourself for one more post on cupcakes. I had a staff meeting this past week, and I had signed up to bring a dessert. Being the October staff meeting, I wanted to bring something seasonally appropriate and homemade. I came across this blog post on made-from-scratch pumpkin spice latte cupcakes. They sounded so good, and I couldn't pass up the opportunity to make them. I did, and they turned out wonderful! They are chocolate-free, so Eric can eat them, and definitely very delicious.

For all of you interested, heres the recipe:

Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcakes

Makes 2 dozen

From Annie's Eats

Cupcakes:

• 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons espresso powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup canola or vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs

For the whipped cream:

•  2 1/4 cups heavy cream, chilled
• 1/4 cup confectioners' (powdered) sugar

For garnish:

• caramel sauce
• cinnamon

For the cupcakes:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, espresso powder, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt. Stir together and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, mix together the pumpkin, granulated sugar, brown sugar and oil on medium speed. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. With the mixture on low speed, add the flour mixture in two additions, mixing just until incorporated.

Fill the cupcake liners about three-quarters full. Bake until the cupcakes are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 18-20 minutes. Transfer the pans to a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes, then remove the cupcakes from the pans. Let cool completely.

For the frosting:
Place the heavy cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whip on medium-low speed at first, gradually increasing to high speed. Blend in the confectioners’ sugar gradually. Whip until stiff peaks form, being careful not to over-beat. Use a pastry bag fitted with a decorative tip to frost the cooled cupcakes. Sprinkle with ground cinnamon and drizzle with caramel sauce. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate.