Pumpkin Cupcakes with Chocolate Sesame Frosting

 

I found this pumpkin cupcake recipe on the Soom website and it caught my eye. This was great for fall, and perhaps bridges the gap between Thanksgiving and Christmas especially well. They were a big hit with my family! The Little Prince even said that might be his favorite chocolate frosting ever. 

Based on this recipe, I’d say that if you don’t have Chocolate Soom, you can replace it with 1/3 cup + 2 Tbsp tahini plus 2 Tbsp. cocoa plus 2 Tbsp maple syrup, in addition to the other ingredients in the frosting. 

For the cupcakes 

1 2/3 cups flour 

½ cup sugar 

1 tsp. baking soda 

¾ tsp. salt 

½ tsp. cinnamon 

½ tsp. nutmeg 

¼ tsp. ground ginger 

½ cup neutral vegetable oil 

2 eggs 

1/3 cup lactose-free milk 

1 cup pumpkin purée 

For the frosting 

½ cup lactose-free butter or margarine, at room temperature 

½ cup Chocolate Soom (see note above) 

2 tsp. vanilla extract 

¼ cup cocoa powder, sifted 

2 Tbsp. lactose-free milk 

2-3 cups powdered sugar, sifted 

For the cupcakes 

Preheat the oven to 400 °F. Grease a muffin tin or use paper liners. 

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground ginger. Set aside. 

In a medium bowl, whisk together oil, eggs, milk, and pumpkin purée. Add to the dry ingredients and stir together until just combined. 

Fill each cavity of the pan ¾ full. Bake for 16-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cool completely before frosting. 

For the frosting 

Beat together the butter and Chocolate Soom until smooth. 

Add the vanilla, cocoa powder, and milk and beat again. 

Slowly add in powdered sugar a little at a time until you get your desired consistency. 

Pipe onto cooled cupcakes.