Moist cupcakes made with real pumpkin puree and aromatic winter spices, topped with ccoffee swiss meringue buttercream. A perfect treat for the cooler days.
Preheat oven to 180C
Line two muffin trays with 18 cupcake papers
Peel, cube and steam enough pumpkin to make 1 cup of puree. Mash when cooked and leave to cool while you make the cupcake mixture.
In a medium bowl, using a hand whisk, mix together eggs, oil and sour cream.
In a separate bowl, sift together dry ingredients - Flour, sugar, bicarb soda,baking powder and spices.
Add pumpkin to the wet mixture. stir until combined.
Carefully pour the wet mixture into the dry mix, stirring well with a rubber spatual until combined. Using an icecream scoop, fill cupcake liners until each is 2/3 full.
Bake in moderate oven for 18 minutes. Leave on a wire wrack to cool. Top with coffee buttercream. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar if desired.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, hand whisk egg whites and sugar until well combined.
Place bowl over a saucepan with about 2cm filled with water (like a double boiler). Simmer over medium heat until sugar dissolves.
Place bowl in electric mixer, with whisk attachment, on high, until stiff peaks form.
Turn mixer onto low. Add cubes of butter two at a time. The mixture will deflate, then turn soupy and have the consistency of scrambled egs. This is normal. Eventually the buttercream will come together with a silky smooth texture. This may take up to ten minutes.
Add coffee to buttercream a little at a time. Keep mixing on low until well combined.
Pipe buttercream onto cupcake sand sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.