This is my 9th year teaching… and my 9th year transforming the classroom pumpkins in Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cupcakes.  I’m a creature of ritual.  And this ritual starts with my enthusiasm for Autumn and… pumpkins.  For home, for the classroom, for those worthy enough to give a pumpkin to.  I’m also a creature of process.  This means care with each step along the way–cutting, cooking, pureeing the pumpkin flesh, roasting the pumpkin seeds, and composting all the scraps.  For ease of annual reproduction and sharing, I’m going to detail it all here.

 

Processing Pumpkin

1.) Pre-heat oven to 375 and add about half an inch of water to baking dish/dishes. Set next to cutting board.
2.) Cut pumpkin in halve & scoop out the seeds and guts into a medium bowl.
3.) Cut pumpkin in smaller pieces and place in a single layer in baking dish.
4.) Cover loosely with foil and place in oven.
5.) Roast until fork-tender, about 40 minutes depending on pumpkin type and size of pieces.
6.) Let cool in a baking sheet until you’re able to handle the pieces.
7.) Scoop the flesh away from skin with spoon or your hands. I put the chunks right into my high-speed blender.
8.) Process along with some water–just enough to help smoothen the purée. Do in batches if you need to.
9.) Transfer smooth purée to storage containers.

Roasting the Seeds

1.) Prepare a large baking sheet with parchment paper and pre-heat oven to 350.
2.) Immerse the seeds in the bowl with cold water.
3.) Get your hands in there and detach as many seeds from pumpkin guts as possible, removing guts into a separate bowl while putting seeds into large strainer.
4.) Rinse the seeds in the strainer and remove any remaining pumpkin guts.
5.) Spread seeds into prepared baking sheet and coat with olive oil, salt & desired seasoning. (I tossed them in Minimalist Baker’s Shawarma spice blend.)
6.) Roast for about 35 minutes.
7.) Dump bowl with guts into strainer and compost with pumpkin skins.
8.) Do the dishes!

Now, the…

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cupcakes!

I use the amazing recipe from VCTOTW. The tripled recipe is here for convenience, ever-so-slightly tweaked.

Wet:
3 cups of that pumpkin purée
1 cup of canola oil
3 cups of granulated sugar
3/4 cup soy milk
3 tsp vanilla extract

Dry:
3 and 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 and 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 and 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 and 1/2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp salt
1 and 1/4 cups chocolate

1.) Preheat oven to 350 and prepare 3 cupcake pans with cupcake liners.
2.) In large bowl, stir pumpkin, oil, sugar, soy milk and vanilla.
3.) Combine all dry ingredients, excluding chocolate chips, into a large bowl and stir to combine.
4.) Sift dry into wet, stirring with a fork by hand. Don’t overmix.
5.) Once all dry is incorporated, fold in chocolate chips.
6.) Fill liners with batter 2/3 full.
7.) Bake for 22-24 minutes.
8.) Transfer to wire rack to cool.

 

Frosting!

I don’t want this too tangy a frosting, so I am cutting the cream cheese with shortening. It seems to be an obscene amount of powdered sugar, so make sure you taste for your preference… or your guests’ preferences.

1 cup of vegan cream cheese (an 8 oz. container)
1/2 cup non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening
1 and 1/2 cups Earth Balance vegan butter
6-7 cups powdered sugar
4 tsp vanilla

1.) With handheld mixer, beat cream cheese, shortening and Earth Balance until smooth and incorporated.
2.) Lower the speed and add half the powdered sugar.  Turn up blender once it’s incorporated and beat until smooth.  Then add the remaining sugar and, once again, beat until smooth.
3.) Add the vanilla and beat until well incorporated.
4.) Pipe the cupcakes and sprinkle with a fancy sugar–I love vanilla bean sugar.

Hit the pipe

All ready for its close-up

Powder sugar slap

Happiness is a neighborhood where you can leave the cupcakes outside in the cold evening because you have no more room in the fridge.

That’s a wrap on year 9. Happy Thanksgiving! xo

[Want to check out previous years? Here you go, ya werido: 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010]