Pumpkin Toffee Streusel Cupcakes

My youngest Hungry Puppy requested that I make pumpkin muffins with her halloween pumpkin.  I was so ready to make muffins!  I had a recipe picked out and everything.  Then she told me that she wanted candy pumpkins stuck into the frosting of her muffins.  I asked her if she meant cupcakes.  I got a "duh" look in response.  Yeah, Mom, cupcakes.  With frosting.  And candy pumpkins.  So okay then, switching gears to cupcakes!  I found this recipe and turned them into cupcakes.  I made a super small batch of maple frosting (just enough to stick a candy pumpkin on), and here we go!  If you want, you can skip the frosting all together.

Pumpkin Toffee Streusel Cupcakes

Cupcakes:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup toffee bits
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Streusel:
1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
2 Tablespoons butter
1/4 cup toffee bits
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Maple Frosting:
1 Tablespoon butter, room temperature
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 Tablespoon maple syrup
Several drops (literally) milk, if necessary

Preheat the oven to 350F.  Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners, or grease the cups.

For the cupcakes, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in the eggs and vanilla until smooth. Add the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, and salt, and beat until partially combined.  Add the pumpkin puree and beat on low until incorporated and no streaks of flour remain.  Stir in the toffee bits and chocolate chips. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full.

For the streusel, stir together the flour and brown sugar.  Cut in the butter, using a fork, until mixture is crumbly.  Stir in the toffee bits and chocolate chips.  Sprinkle streusel over the batter in the muffin cups.  Place cupcakes in the oven and bake for 16 to 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Remove cupcakes from the oven and let cool for several minutes in the pan.  Carefully remove cupcakes from the pan and let cool completely on a cooling rack.

For the frosting, stir together the butter and a little powdered sugar at a time until smooth and all of the sugar is incorporated (mixture will be stiff).  Stir in the maple syrup, and enough milk to reach the desired consistency.  Pipe or spread a small amount of frosting on each cooled cupcake.  Place a candy pumpkin on top of the frosting.  Makes 12 cupcakes.

Enjoy!  -Cardamommy