Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes

I had grand plans for these little cupcakes.  The boys and I were going to decorate them together and make cute spiders, ghosts, skeletons and Frankenstein's.  Let's just say it didn't quite work out like I had hoped.  This was the best we did!  But these cupcakes do taste really good, which is the most important thing in my book!  They are a yummy combination of chocolate and pumpkin with buttercream frosting.  I did make some chocolate buttercream frosting, to show off the ghosts, but I think they taste better with white.  


Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes:
adapted from verybestbaking.com
click here for printable version

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup pumpkin
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup milk
3 eggs

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.
Microwave 1 cup of chocolate chips, for 1 minute.  Stir and, if necessary, microwave an additional 10 seconds.
Combine sugar, pumpkin, oil, milk, and eggs, beat until smooth.  Add melted chocolate, flour, baking soda and salt.  When mixed thoroughly add additional 1 cup of chocolate chips.  Mix well.
Spoon into muffin cups.
Bake for 22-27 minutes, until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.  

Buttercream Frosting:
2 sticks butter, softened
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
milk (if needed)


Beat butter, sugar and vanilla with electric mixer until combined.  Add milk if needed to thin out frosting.
Frost cupcakes when cooled.