Cupcakes à la Citrouille

One of the best things about not living overseas is getting to fully celebrate uniquely American holidays.  Thanksgiving, Independence Day, and Halloween (celebrated elsewhere, yes, but we really do it up) are all more fun for me when I'm in the U.S.  Last year this time I was in Brussels, so this year I'm especially interested in making the most of the autumn holiday season.  One way to do that?  Bake pumpkin cupcakes.

I got my pumpkin cupcake recipe from a British cookbook that was written by a man who took multiple trips to the U.S., fell in love with our desserts, and decided to open a bakery in London that specializes in American goodies like pecan pie, brownies, and cupcakes.  He named his store The Hummingbird Bakery, and there are now multiple locations around the city.  I picked up his cookbook, The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook, while on an October 2009 visit to London.  It's a true homage to all sweet things American, and it uses cute British phrases like "bicarbonate of soda," and "tinned pumpkin purée."

The cupcakes were a success.  My friend (the fabulous cupcake blogger) and I worried they would be too moist, and we broke an electric mixer while trying to make the cream cheese frosting, but in the end they turned out delicious and adorable and were quickly gobbled up by co-workers when I brought a batch into the office the following day.  If you'd like to try them yourself (and if you're an American you'll probably eat anything that's pumpkin flavored this time of year), I found the recipe blessedly converted into U.S. measurements on tastebook.com.  Enjoy!