Whole Wheat Cupcakes & Sour Cream Icing

Well, it is a cupcake recipe that I used.........but altered with the end result being more like muffins than cupcakes.  After all, when you are using whole wheat flour that you have made from locally grown wheat berries, you are not going to get the look and feel of a regular cupcake.  What you will get is a delicious dessert that is much better for you than one using refined, white flour! 

Pumpkin & Spice Whole Wheat Cupcakes

Ingredients


2 1/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup brown sugar (or your sweetner of choice)

2 eggs

3/4 cup  buttermilk

1 cup pumpkin puree (or cushaw)

1.Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F Grease 24 muffin cups, or line with paper muffin liners. Sift together the flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon,  salt, baking powder, and baking soda; set aside.


2.Beat 1/2 cup of butter & brown sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time, allowing each egg to blend into the butter mixture before adding the next. Stir in the buttermilk and pumpkin puree after the last egg. Stir in the flour mixture, mixing until just incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared muffin cups.

3.Bake in the preheated oven until the tops spring back when lightly pressed, about 20 minutes. Cool in the pans for 5 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.

Turned out moist and delicious!
 
I made one turn of cupcakes and then made three "mini" loaves of bread with the remaining mixture.
 
 

 
 
The sour cream "icing" is really more like a spread because I did not want to use confectioner's sugar which would make it stiff.  However, I was very pleased with the taste and it actually reminds me of the spreads I use to eat on warm bread at the restaurant, Liberty Station, in Bedford, VA.  On a warm "cupcake" muffin it was absolutely divine! 
 
 

 
 
Sour Cream Icing (Spread)
 
4 oz of homemade, cultured, thick sour cream
a pinch of salt
1/4 tsp real vanilla
a dash of cinnamon
5 Tablespoons of local, raw honey
 
Mix thoroughly and enjoy! 
 
Note:  Because of the thinner consistency of the sour cream "icing", I chose to not put it on the cupcakes but rather set it out and allow individuals to apply before eating.