Pumpkin Cupcakes

I made these last year for a Teacher Appreciation Luncheon. The cupcakes and icing (even though I'm not much on icing) are the best! The cupcake batter makes a great pumpkin bread, too. They were featured on the cover of the November 2008 Family Circle magazine.

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup oil
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 can pumpkin puree
4 eggs

Whisk flour pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together until well blended. Set aside. Beat sugar, oil, buttermilk, pumpkin puree, and eggs in a large bowl on low speed for 2 minutes or until combined. Add flour mixture and beat for 2 more minutes or until just combined. Fill liners about 2/3 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 18 minutes. Makes 30 cupcakes. This is the first cupcake recipe that I have ever made that made exactly 30 cupcakes and baked for the 18 minutes. Family Circle must have an awesome testing kitchen!

Frosting:
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese softened
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter softened
1 box (16 ounces) powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons milk, plus more if needed
Orange food coloring
Fine & course orange decorating sugar
Pretzel sticks or rods

Beat cream cheese and butter in a large bowl on high for 3 minutes or until light and fluffy. Gradually add the powdered sugar, vanilla and milk and beat until smooth and a good spreading consistency, about 2 minutes. Add an additional tablespoon of milk if its too thick.

Divide the frosting into two bowls and tint to different shades of orange with food coloring. Mound the frosting on top of the cupcakes and make rounded. Roll the entire cupcake in the sugar to coat or just roll the edges. Add pretzel sticks or rods as stems.