Pumpkin Biscoff Cookie Cupcakes

Today these sweet Pumpkin Biscoff Cookie Cupcakes are actually a bit bittersweet. My baking seems better when the cake, pie, or loaf I am producing is meant as a proxy for any actual feelings I can’t quite express face-to-face. In fact, unexpressed sentiment has always been a secret ingredient of my best kitchen work. Unexpressed feelings generally elevates baked goods to a transcendent levels of, well, yumminess. Just one scant tablespoon of I’m Sorry For The Less Than Warm Welcome To The Neighborhood can make an ordinary chocolate bread into a loaf capable of kick-starting a new best-friendship. Similarly, add a dash of I Miss Her Too to my grandmother’s quite ordinary Christmas cookie recipe and my dad and I will get a bit misty eyed whenever I deliver him a batch.

So its no surprise that these pumpkin biscoff cookie cupcakes delivered rave reviews at the office just now.  I loaded them with several dollops of This Place Won’t Be The Same Without You.

You know I must feel quite fondly for you if I volunteer to bake for you on a weeknight. Any given work day is hard enough and long enough without the need to muster the energy to wait another two hours for a stick of butter to soften. But I have something important to say, and to the right person, I will stop at Starbucks on the way home so I can get busy all night long.

These Pumpkin Biscoff cupcakes were for a “goodbye” lunch for a lovely lady whom sadly no longer works at my office. After several years of greeting me each morning with a smile I didn’t always return (I’m not a morning person) our beloved receptionist Megan has decided it is time for her to move on. Her extreme competence redefined what it meant to be a “receptionist” and I will miss her not just because a lot of skills walked out the door with her, but because she took her warmth and cheery attitude with her.  An office can never have too much of that.

For her tireless service Megan had earned the highest honor fellow employees can bestow on a co-worker who is leaving: a potluck. And since Megan had always managed to save me a cupcake (or two) over the years from the many batches she herself hatched for the many work potlucks and baby showers – I knew there was only one thing I could bring for her: a cupcake. It seemed only fair.

Pumpkin Biscoff Cookie Cupcakes

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Pumpkin Biscoff Cookie Cupcakes

adapted from Life’s Ambrosia

I didn’t intend to become obsessed with Biscoff cookies (caramel flavored speculoos biscuits) but when I asked amy local market to order me a package for a cheesecake crust they produced a case instead. I took the full case home. Not being partial to traditional pumpkin pie spices, the caramely flavored Biscoff cookies turned out to make the perfect foil for pumpkin baked goods. If you have to order these cookies to make this recipe, just order a case. You’ll be glad you did.

This is what you will need:

• 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon iodized salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup pureed pumpkin
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 5 tablespoons “cookie spread” like Biscoff Spread or “Cookie Butter” (from Trader Joe’s)
• 6 crumbled Biscoff cookies
• Sanding sugar (optional)

This is how you make it:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
2. In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder.
3. In another mixing bowl with a handheld mixer beat together sugar and butter until fluffy.
4. Beat in eggs one at a time.
5. Scraping the sides in between each egg.
6. Add vanilla.
7. Slowly mix in the dry ingredients and then fold in the pumpkin puree.
8. Do not over mix
9. Fill pumpkin liners 2/3?s of the way full or use an ice cream scoop to get even cupcakes.
10. Bake 15 – 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few crumbs on it.
11. Remove cupcakes from the oven and allow to cool a few minutes before moving them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
12. While cupcakes are cooling make the frosting by beating together the softened cream cheese and powdered sugar.
13. Once they are smooth, whip in the biscoff spread.
14. Frost the cooled cupcakes with an offset knife and sprinkle each with some of the crumbled biscoff cookies and sanding sugar.
15. Set in refrigerator 10 minutes to let frosting chill and set.
16. Cupcakes will store in the refrigerator up to two days covered.
17. Remove from the refrigerator and let stand 10-15 minutes before serving.

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All content copyright 2014 by Trevor Kensey and SisBoomBlog.com.

Megan (l) shows off the cupcake she inspired. Sunny’s (r) mom took one home.