Method for cupcakes:

Preheat the oven to 160°C (fan) or 180°C and line a 12-hole muffin tray with muffin/cupcake cases.
In a large mixing bowl cream the butter and sugar together until the mixture is pale and smooth, which should take about 3-5 minutes using an electric hand mixer. Add the eggs, one at a time, and the vanilla extract, beating well after each addition. Add the pumpkin and beat until just combined.
Combine the flours, cinnamon and ginger in a bowl. Add one-third of this to the creamed mixture and beat until just combined. Add half the buttermilk and beat again until just combined. Repeat these steps until all the flour mixture and buttermilk have been added.
Carefully spoon the mixture evenly into the cupcake cases, filling each case to about two-thirds full. Bake in the oven for about 25 minutes until slightly raised and golden brown. To check they are cooked, insert a skewer in the centre of one of the cakes – it should come out clean.
Remove from the oven and leave the cakes in their tins for about 10 minutes before placing on a wire rack to cool.
Once they are completely cool, ice them with the icing below and decorate with a sprinkling of cinnamon or nutmeg on the top or even some Halloween decorations if appropriate!

Method for cream cheese:

Place all ingredients in a large bowl and beat well with an electric hand mixer until thoroughly combined and the icing is smooth and pale. This could take a few minutes.

(If you have any icing left over store it in an airtight container in the fridge. Before reusing let it come to room temperature and then beat again.)

Pumpkin cupcakes with spiced cream cheese icing recipe