Pumpkin Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting

Before you see the pictures, I must tell you that I don't normally use things like box cake mix. I don't really care for all the fake ingredients and preservatives. But I made an exception for these cupcakes. Autumn is the season when we all go crazy for pumpkin everything- lattes, pie, ice cream, bread, muffins, and as they have at Trader Joe's pumpkin cream cheese. I shamelessly jump on the bandwagon and buy anything with "pumpkin" on the package.

I saw these on pinterest and decided to try them. Glad I did! They are so yummy and *too* easy (both to make and eat). Yes, I had one for breakfast this morning.

how can you say no to easy peasy AND yummy?

this is what you'll need to make the cupcakes. actually you only need the pumpkin and the mix. but i thought it would taste better with some spices. allspice, cinnamon, and unlabeled yummy smelling spice.

 dump the cake mix in your mixer. plop the pumpkin in too. put in your spices (vary it according to taste) a couple dashes of each was what I did.
mix.
and bake
according to the box.

i kind of improved a  frosting with 

3 oz. cream cheese

1/2 cup sour cream

2 TBS melted butter

1 cup confectioners sugar

1/2 -3/4 cup brown sugar

mix it all together and taste it! 

sprinkle cinnamon over top,

add some dried cranberries,

and voila!

what's your favorite pumpkin-y thing this season?