Happy Sweet Season!

Those of you who've read this blog for a bit will know that one of my major goals in cooking is to make healthy taste good. I've likely shared my outright HATRED for things like store bought reduced-fat salad dressings (ew), Lean Cuisine anything (frozen cardboard drenched in salt), grainy turkey meat masquerading as ground beef (kill me), and fat-free cheese (some sort of petroleum distillate that could probably run my car's engine if melted properly).

Regular readers will also know that I was born with a tragic birth defect which, when revealed, causes most people to recoil in horror: I have no sweet tooth. I believe this was caused by my mom eating vegetables and whole grains while pregnant with me. How could she?! I only have relief from this affliction each Fall and Winter when my friend, the pumpkin, takes center stage on tables across the country.

Keeping in mind my mission to marry taste to health and my love of pumpkin, I made healthy (yes!) Pumpkin Cupcakes tonight. I apologize in advance for the lack of photos; I made the cupcakes while packing for a weekend jaunt with the gentleman friend so staging was simply not possible. Regardless, these taste absolutely sinful and super-easy to make. More importantly, with the beta carotene laden pumpkin, reduced sugar content and whole wheat flour, these are pretty darn good for you. Enjoy!



Perfect Pumpkin Cupcakes

2 cups whole wheat flour (I used "white" whole wheat flour pictured above)
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp each ground ginger, cloves, nutmeg and grated orange peel (orange peel optional)
1/2 cup Canola oil
1 tsp vanilla extract (use the real thing!)
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup granulated Splenda
2 eggs or 1/2 cup egg substitute, beaten
1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin
Optional: 1/4 cup crushed walnuts

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking soda and spices. In a separate bowl, combine oil, vanilla extract, sugar, Splenda and eggs. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until combined. Add canned pumpkin and walnuts if desired.

Line a muffin tin with baking cups. Fill each cup 3/4 full with cupcake batter. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center of one cupcake comes out clean. Cool cupcakes 1/2 hour on a a wire rack and ice with cream cheese icing (recipe below).

Cream Cheese Icing

8 oz reduced-fat cream cheese at room temperature
1 cup granulated Splenda
1 cup powdered (confectioner's) sugar

Combine all three ingredients in a mixing bowl. Beat until smooth and fluffy. Ice cooled cupcakes.

YUM!