Phase 2 of The House Behind The Trees ~ The downstairs #TeelsBuildaHouse

So we are starting the downstairs ... I HATE to say basement because we had a basement in our old home, where you opened a door and went down stairs separated from anything else. It was a finished basement complete with a bedroom, craft room, family/game room and we spent a lot of time there ~ our oldest son moved down there in jr high and stayed through high school ... until we finished the master suite in the attic then he moved back up to the bedroom floor with his brother and sister.  So here our downstairs is open to the rest of the house, you can see through to the outside from the top of the stairs going down because we have a wall of windows down there as well.  We really didn't plan to have a kiddo down there but since we are having to do a switch-a-roo with rooms (I'll explain later) he is moving home soon and will be downstairs. Anyhoo, our downstairs will house our main family room, our middle sons room, a full bath and kitchenette.  I thought it would be fun ...

Easy Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes

My oh My I can't wait to bake some these yummy sounding pumpkin cupcakes recipes, let alone eat them! Every year I look for new and yummy pumpkin recipes for home and party going. I hope these will be the ticket for this year!


Easy Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes 
Ingredients:
1 recipe Whipped Cream Frosting or purchased whipped white frosting
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Orange food coloring
Crushed graham crackers
1 recipe Pumpkin Cupcakes or 12 pre-made cupcakes
Directions: Prepare Sweetened Whipped Cream Frosting. Stir ground cinnamon and several drops orange food coloring into 1-1/2 cups of the frosting. Use orange frosting to frost cupcakes. Sprinkle frosted cupcakes with crushed graham crackers. Spoon a small dollop of the reserved white frosting on the top of each cupcake. If desired, sprinkle with additional cinnamon and/or ground nutmeg.

Pumpkin Cupcakes 
Ingredients:
1 package 2-layer-size yellow cake mix
3/4 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line twenty-four 2 1/2-inch muffin cups with paper bake cups; set aside. Prepare cake mix according to package directions, except use 3/4 cup water and 1/3 cup oil. Stir pumpkin, sour cream, and pumpkin pie spice into batter. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each two-thirds to three-fourths full. Bake as directed for cupcakes. Cool cupcakes in muffin cups on wire racks for 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from muffin cups. Cool completely on wire racks. Nutrition Analysis: 123 calories, 1 g protein, 18 g carbohydrate, 6 g total fat, (1 g sat. fat), 2 mg cholesterol, 0 g fiber, 32% Vitamin A, 1% Vitamin C, 144 mg sodium, 5% calcium, 3% iron

Sweetened Whipped Cream Frosting 
Ingredients:
Water
1 tablespoon cold water
1/2 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
1 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons sugar
Directions: In a large saucepan bring about 1 inch water to boiling over high heat. Meanwhile, in a 1-cup heatproof glass measuring cup combine the 2 tablespoons cold water and unflavored gelatin. Let stand for 2 minutes. Place measuring cup in the saucepan of boiling water. Cook and stir about 1 minute or until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Remove measuring cup from water; set aside. Cool for 5 minutes. In a chilled large mixing bowl beat whipping cream and sugar with the chilled beaters of an electric mixer on medium speed while gradually drizzling the gelatin mixture over the cream mixture. Continue beating the cream mixture until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight). Makes 4 cups.

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